Tuesday June 3, 2025
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga shakes hands with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed during a meeting at Karen, Nairobi, on Monday, June 2, 2025. Photo Abdirahman Mohamed
Nairobi (HOL) – Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has once again thrown his weight behind Somaliland’s quest for international recognition during a high-profile meeting with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro in Nairobi.
The meeting, described as a farewell gathering, came shortly after Somaliland opened a diplomatic liaison office in the Kenyan capital—a move that sparked a swift rebuke from Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reaffirmed its recognition of Somalia’s territorial integrity.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the esteemed African statesman, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, for the gracious farewell dinner hosted in my honour and that of my delegation,” President Abdirahman said in a statement issued Tuesday.
“Your unwavering support for Somaliland’s aspiration to claim its rightful place among the community of nations is deeply appreciated.”
Raila’s reaffirmation comes at a sensitive diplomatic juncture. While Somaliland inaugurated its Nairobi office on May 29, Kenya’s foreign ministry quickly distanced itself from the event, stating it had not approved any upgrade from liaison office to mission status.
Despite Nairobi’s official stance, the meeting with Odinga and a separate high-level engagement between President William Ruto and President Abdirahman on May 28 has stirred diplomatic unease across the Horn of Africa, especially in Mogadishu.
According to the Somaliland presidency, the discussions with Ruto touched on bilateral cooperation, including education, peace and stability, economic growth, and institutional development.
No official statement has yet been released from President Ruto’s office.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, continues to seek international recognition, despite opposition from the Federal Government of Somalia and a lack of endorsement from the African Union and United Nations.