HARGEISA, Somalia — Somaliland has urged Cyprus and Greece to reconsider their positions on its long-running bid for international recognition, after Somalia’s newly elected parliamentary speaker held a phone call with the head of the Turkish-backed administration in northern Cyprus.
The call between Somali parliament speaker Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot administration has triggered a diplomatic dispute, given Mogadishu’s longstanding support for the unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus.
Somalia’s Foreign Ministry said its position on Cyprus remained unchanged, reaffirming its support for international law and relevant United Nations resolutions concerning the divided Mediterranean island.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not secured broad international recognition, said it supported Cyprus and Greece while expressing concern over what it described as increasingly close strategic ties between Somalia and Turkey.
Hargeisa called on Cyprus and Greece to review their positions towards Somaliland’s recognition campaign, arguing that international recognition would create new opportunities for diplomatic relations, trade and security cooperation.
The dispute highlights the increasingly intertwined questions of sovereignty and recognition in the Horn of Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey has maintained close relations with Somalia, with cooperation spanning defence, security, infrastructure and economic development. Ankara has also become a major security partner for Mogadishu and an influential player in Somalia’s efforts to strengthen its armed forces.
The relationship has raised concerns in Hargeisa, which has sought to build international support for its claim to statehood and establish closer ties with countries that could potentially support its diplomatic ambitions.
Somaliland has made international recognition a central foreign policy objective for decades, arguing that its separate colonial history, functioning institutions and relative stability distinguish it from Somalia.
The territory has maintained its own government, security forces and currency since declaring independence, although Somalia continues to regard Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory.
Israel recognised Somaliland in December 2025, a move that Hargeisa described as a major diplomatic breakthrough. No other government has formally joined Israel in recognising Somaliland, leaving the territory without broad international acceptance.
The Cyprus issue carries particular diplomatic sensitivity because the island has remained divided since 1974. The internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus controls the southern part of the island, while the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey, administers the north.
Somalia’s support for the Republic of Cyprus is consistent with its broader position against unilateral changes to internationally recognised borders and in favour of territorial integrity.
For Somaliland, however, the episode provides an opportunity to highlight what it considers a contradiction in international diplomacy: support for the Republic of Cyprus while its own claim to separate statehood remains largely unrecognised.
The dispute comes at a time when Somalia, Somaliland and Turkey are navigating increasingly complex regional alliances, while Hargeisa seeks to expand its diplomatic outreach and attract international investment.
The episode is likely to further test relations between the parties as Somaliland presses its recognition campaign and Mogadishu continues to oppose any move that could formalise the territory’s separation from Somalia.
