Unrecognised Somaliland urges Cyprus and Greece to grant recognition

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The self-declared Republic of Somaliland has called on Cyprus and Greece to consider formal recognition, citing a recent social media post by Somalia’s new parliament speaker that referred to the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC).

In a statement on social media, Somaliland authorities said: “The Republic of Somaliland stands with the Republic of Cyprus and Greece against aggression from Somalia and Turkey. The failed state of Somalia’s parliament speaker’s engagement with the speaker of northern Cyprus raises significant questions.”

They argued that following Somali Parliament Speaker Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur’s reference to the TRNC, “Greece and Cyprus should take a fresh, strategic look at the Republic of Somaliland.” Recognition, they claimed, “would create new opportunities for diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation, while strengthening a shared position against Somalia and Turkish aggression.”

Nur, elected speaker of Somalia’s House of the People earlier this month, accepted a congratulatory call from Turkish Cypriot assembly speaker Ziya Öztürkler. He then posted that he wished to “extend my sincere thanks to [the] speaker of the assembly of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, for his kind congratulations.” The post was later deleted.

Somalia’s foreign ministry responded on Friday, stressing that “its position on the Cyprus issue remains unchanged and continues to be guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.” It reaffirmed “full respect for the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, in accordance with international law.”

Somalia maintains close political and military ties with Turkey. Nur recently described the relationship, which began with humanitarian aid in 2011, as now encompassing “strategic projects” built on “brotherhood, mutual respect, and shared interest,” with cooperation in security, education, health, infrastructure, and humanitarian aid. Last month, Turkey’s parliament approved an extension of its troop presence in Somalia until July 2028 to support efforts against terrorism, piracy, and other threats under a defence cooperation agreement.

Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland in December 2025. No other state has followed. At the time, Cyprus’s foreign ministry aligned with the European Union in calling for respect for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, stating that Somaliland remains an integral part of it. The EU’s External Action Service issued a similar statement, encouraging dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia’s federal government.

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