 has taken note of the El Alamein Joint Declaration issued on 4 October 2026 by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Sudan, the State of Eritrea, and the Federal Republic of Somalia. Read.){kind=link}
Hargeisa, Somaliland
5 October 2026
The Somaliland Authors and Writers Association (SAWA) has taken note of the El Alamein Joint Declaration issued on 4 October 2026 by the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Sudan, the State of Eritrea, and the Federal Republic of Somalia.
As an association representing authors, writers, intellectuals, and advocates of historical documentation and freedom of expression, SAWA wishes to state clearly and unequivocally that it supports the statehood, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to self-determination of the Republic of Somaliland.
Somaliland’s Historical and Political Position
SAWA’s position is rooted in the history of Somaliland and the expressed will of its people.
On 26 June 1960, Somaliland achieved independence from British rule and became an independent sovereign state. Five days later, on 1 July 1960, Somaliland entered into a unratified union with the former Italian-administered territory of Somalia.
Following the collapse of the Somali government and the devastating conflict that followed, the people of Somaliland held a broad political process in 1991 and declared the restoration of the sovereignty and statehood that they had exercised before the 1960 union.
Since 1991, Somaliland has developed its own political institutions and has pursued its political aspirations through predominantly peaceful means.
SAWA therefore considers the Somaliland question to be a matter that cannot be determined solely by governments outside Somaliland. The will and voice of the people of Somaliland must be given due consideration.
Respect the Will of the People of Somaliland
SAWA respectfully calls upon the governments of Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia to respect the political will of the people of Somaliland.
Whatever position individual governments may hold concerning Somaliland’s status, the people of Somaliland have the right to preserve their history, express their political aspirations, and participate in discussions concerning their own future.
A regional declaration should not erase or overlook the historical experience and political aspirations of an entire people.
The Role of Writers and Intellectuals
As writers and authors, we have a particular responsibility to preserve historical memory and ensure that important historical events are not forgotten or misrepresented.
SAWA will continue to document and promote awareness of Somaliland’s historical journey, including:
- Somaliland’s independence on 26 June 1960;
- the union entered into on 1 July 1960;
- the collapse of the Somali state and the consequences of the subsequent conflict;
- the restoration of Somaliland’s political institutions beginning in 1991; and
- the continuing political aspirations of the people of Somaliland.
We believe that these events should be studied through historical documents, scholarly research, eyewitness accounts, and the voices of the people who experienced them.
A Call for Dialogue
SAWA does not believe that disagreement over political status should lead to hostility between the peoples of the Horn of Africa.
We therefore encourage Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Somaliland, and other regional and international actors to address the issue through peaceful dialogue and constructive engagement.
We particularly encourage governments and international organizations to hear directly from Somaliland’s writers, historians, academics, civil society, and wider population.
Somaliland should not be discussed only as a subject of regional diplomacy; the people of Somaliland should be participants in the conversation about their own future.
Our Position
The Somaliland Authors and Writers Association reaffirms:
SAWA SUPPORTS THE STATEHOOD AND SOVEREIGNTY OF SOMALILAND.
SAWA calls upon Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia to stop focusing their political efforts on Republic of Somaliland and instead help the people of Somalia build a genuinely stable, inclusive, and functioning national government.
Somalia cannot credibly claim to represent the entire Somali people while effective national authority remains fragmented and the federal government’s practical control is largely concentrated in Mogadishu.
It is unacceptable to target or undermine a peaceful and functioning Somaliland Government , which has maintained its own institutions and stability since restoring its statehood in 1991.
Rather than interfering in Somaliland’s affairs, the four nations should respect the political will of the people of Somaliland and their right to determine their own future.
SAWA firmly supports Somaliland’s statehood and sovereignty and calls for dialogue, mutual respect, and an end to efforts aimed at undermining Somaliland’s peaceful political order.
Our message is simple:
History must be heard.
The people must be heard.
And the voice of Somaliland must not be excluded from discussions about Somaliland.
SAWA remains committed to freedom of expression, historical truth, peaceful dialogue, and the right of Somaliland writers and intellectuals to tell the story of their country and its people.
Here is a stronger, polished version that SAWA can use in its statement. I have also made the 1960 and 2025 recognition points explicit and fact-based.
SAWA STATEMENT ON ISRAEL’S RECOGNITION OF SOMALILAND
The Somaliland Authors and Writers Association (SAWA) welcomes and firmly supports the historic recognition of the Republic of Somaliland by the State of Israel as an independent and sovereign state on 26 December 2025. Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland in its restored statehood, creating a historic diplomatic milestone after decades of Somaliland’s peaceful state-building.
SAWA also recalls the historical significance of 26 June 1960, when Somaliland became independent from the United Kingdom. Official Israeli statements in 2026 have specifically recalled that Israel was the first country to recognize Somaliland in 1960 and again became the first country to recognize Somaliland after its restoration of sovereignty.
We deeply appreciate the people and Government of Israel for recognizing the political reality and the aspirations of the people of Somaliland. The people of Somaliland have demonstrated their support for their statehood through decades of peaceful political development, and the rejection of Somaliland’s statehood by other governments cannot erase the will, history, institutions, and aspirations of the Somaliland people.
SAWA therefore calls upon Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia to respect the political will of the people of Somaliland and to engage with Somaliland through peaceful dialogue rather than attempting to deny or undermine its political identity. The recent El Alamein Declaration explicitly rejected recognition or support for Somaliland; SAWA considers such a position to be an exclusion of the very people whose future is being discussed.
Recognition is not created by declarations of rejection, nor can rejection erase a people’s aspirations. Somaliland will continue to speak for itself, and SAWA will continue to document, defend, and promote Somaliland’s history, statehood, sovereignty, and international recognition through writing, scholarship, journalism, and peaceful intellectual engagement.
Issued by:
Somaliland Authors and Writers Association (SAWA)
Chairman Abdi Ali Barkad
Hargeisa, Somaliland
5 October 2026
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