One of the most widely propagated yet concocted narratives promoted by secessionists in northern Somalia is the claim that two sovereign states— Somalia and Somaliland — were created in 1960, and that one of them was later “lost” or “given away.”
This is false. Completely false.
The historical record shows—clearly, repeatedly, and contemporaneously—that only one state was intended, negotiated, and established, and that state was the Somali Republic.
From Hargeisa to Mogadishu, from London to New York (including the UN), the destination was stated consistently and explicitly: the creation of the Somali Republic on 1 July 1960.
More importantly, the people and leaders of northern Somalia were active architects of the Somali Republic. Crucially, they neither intended nor worked toward the creation of a separate Somaliland state— despite the persistent misinformation now circulated by secessionist actors.
So pervasive has this disinformation become that, only days ago, even unionist politicians in Mogadishu—some of whom hail from northern regions—repeated this claim as fact.
What follows are nine hard proofs, drawn from primary documents and contemporaneous practice, demonstrating that no Somaliland state was created or “lost.” In 1960, everyone in Hargeisa was working toward the creation of one state: the Somali Republic.
1) Colonial labels were not states
“British Somaliland,” “Italian Somaliland,” “French Somaliland,” the NFD, and the Ogaden were imperial administrative labels—not sovereign national projects. Across Somali territories in the late 1950s, the dominant political current was pan-Somali nationalism and decolonization, not fragmentation.
2) British Somaliland was a protectorate, not a state
Under British law, Somaliland existed through protection treaties with Somali clans (1884–1886). Britain’s legal obligations were therefore to communities, not to a pre-existing sovereign “Somaliland state.” This mattered because protection could end only through a transition agreed by those communities—and that transition was explicitly tied to independence followed by union.
3) Northern Somalis worked toward the Somali Republic—amply documented
In April 1960, the elected Legislative Council in Hargeisa—the highest political authority under British rule—passed a resolution calling explicitly for independence and unification with Somalia on 1 July 1960. This is recorded in Hansard. There is no ambiguity.
4) The April 1960 Joint Communiqué removes all doubt
Between 16–22 April 1960, senior Somaliland legislators traveled to Mogadishu and issued a Joint Communiqué with their southern counterparts calling for the creation of a republic on 1 July 1960. It states:
“The Territories of Somalia and the Somaliland Protectorate shall be united on July 1st, 1960… The new Somali Republic will be a unitary, democratic and parliamentary State.”
It further ordered the merger of the two legislatures into one National Assembly, the election of one President, the formation of one government, the designation of Mogadishu as the capital, and the creation of one national army. This is not the language of two states; it is the blueprint of one republic.
5) London understood the objective was union, not separation
In the UK Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Colonial Secretary stated plainly that independence would be granted to the protected tribes of northern Somalia so that union could lawfully take place, acting on the “declared wishes” of Somaliland’s elected leaders. Somaliland’s “independence” was a legal bridge—not the destination.
6) Contemporary media reported union
On 6 May 1960, The New York Times reported that Britain would grant independence to Somaliland “so that it could unite with Somalia.” No contemporary account described this as the birth of a separate enduring state.
By: Abdirashid Hashi.
