The foreign ministry of Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia, has announced its solidarity with Gulf states that have severed relations with Qatar, which is accused of supporting terrorism.
Somaliland, which is not internationally recognised declared its independence (of Somalia) in 1991, is an ally of the UAE and enabled it to establish a military base on its territory in exchange for funding infrastructure projects including port and highways.
“The Somaliland Republic fully supports the decision of the Saudis and the Emiratis to boycott Qatar,” said Saad Ali Shire, the foreign minister of Somaliland.
Somaliland has a special currency and is stable in an area of violence by political Islam groups.
In an effort to gain international recognition, Somaliland has adopted a different stance from that of the Somali government, which has called for dialogue and restraint in this diplomatic crisis.
