HARGEISA (SD) – The President of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro), returned to Hargeisa following an official working visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he participated in the World Government Summit held in Dubai.

President Irro’s second consecutive participation in the summit has been of significant strategic importance to Somaliland, particularly in diplomacy, investment, security cooperation, and economic infrastructure development.

During the summit, the President of Somaliland met with officials and leaders from various countries and international organizations, focusing on development issues and future cooperation.

The Republic of Somaliland has long been engaged in efforts seeking international recognition. Recently, Israel announced its recognition of Somaliland.

The fragile Somali government has falsely alleged that Somaliland is an integral part of Somalia and that there is no international recognition legitimizing the Hargeisa administration’s Independence.

Furthermore, the outgoing Mogadishu government has previously claimed that it controls Somaliland’s airspace and has the authority to approve or deny the President of Somaliland’s foreign travels.

The President’s trip to the UAE and his successful return to Hargeisa demonstrate that Somalia does not govern the airspace of the Republic of Somaliland.

President Irro’s trip and participation in international conferences are seen once again as an effort by the Somaliland administration to strengthen its diplomatic presence and international relations.

Somaliland is no longer just arguing its case based on history or democratic governance. It is now pointing to a tangible, observable fact: its head of state travels internationally through its own airspace and airports without interference from Mogadishu. This is a powerful political move—”sovereignty is what sovereignty does.”

The FGS may claim control over Somaliland’s airspace, but it lacks the physical and legal capacity to enforce that claim. Somaliland operates its own airports, air navigation services, and immigration controls. This is not a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty, but as proof that Somali sovereignty over Somaliland never existed in practice.

The FGS’s core message—that Somaliland is an inseparable part of Somalia—is severely weakened when it cannot even prevent the leader(s) of Somaliland from conducting foreign policy independently. The fact is that incapacity is evidence for Somaliland’s independence.

This builds directly on President Irro’s recent statements from Dubai. First, he challenged Somalia’s historical and moral claim to Somaliland. Now, his successful travels challenge Somalia’s practical claim to authority. The two prongs—historical legitimacy and effective sovereignty—reinforce each other.

This situation mirrors other frozen conflicts where unrecognized entities (e.g., Northern Cyprus, Kosovo before partial recognition, Abkhazia) have demonstrated effective control over their territory and borders, using this as a central argument for recognition.

If Somalia cannot control the airspace it claims, how can it be the sole legitimate authority over that territory? This puts diplomats in a difficult position, forcing them to either ignore the reality on the ground or acknowledge the gap between legal theory and operational fact.

By highlighting the contrast between Somalia’s claim of airspace control and its inability to enforce it, Somaliland advances its case for recognition not through abstract arguments, but through observable, undeniable facts on the ground. This represents a sophisticated escalation in the diplomatic war over Somaliland’s status.