Presidential elections in Somaliland: hiccup for European diplomacy (updated)

(B2) In Somaliland, the presidential elections lead to the victory of the leader of the opposition, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, of the party Kulmye (Unit). This did not really arouse international reactions, except in London where this election - in a former British colony - was warmly welcomed by the Minister for Africa, H. Bellingham. The EU reacted more timidly with a press release, discreetly published on June 29 on the website of the delegation to Kenya (competent for Somalia).

Somaliland, a northern province of Somalia which has been claiming its independence since 1991, is not really recognized by the international community, nor by the European Union, which is trying instead to consolidate the central government (GFT) in Mogadishu, even if this area is much more stable than the rest of the country (NB: EU delegates are present there while they are not in Mogadishu).

(NVP)