In a dramatic turn of events, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi was left high and dry in Nairobi after Kenya abruptly cancelled the inauguration of a new Somaliland Liaison Office.
The event, scheduled for May 27, was scrapped just hours before kickoff by Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This move has deepened diplomatic tensions and underscored Nairobi’s delicate balancing act between Somaliland and Somalia.
What was meant to be a milestone visit turned into a political embarrassment for Somaliland’s top leadership.
Somaliland President Faces Embarrassment as Kenya Pulls Plug on Nairobi Event
The Somaliland President’s much-anticipated visit to Nairobi took an unexpected nosedive after the Kenyan government cancelled the official opening of a new Somaliland Liaison Office. In a formal notice issued on Monday, May 26, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs instructed that the high-profile inauguration event set for Tuesday be abandoned.
The ministry said the event had not received formal approval and that any attempt to recognize the office as a diplomatic mission would not be tolerated.
“To the extent the event of May 27 has not been approved by this Ministry, its investiture of the status of a Diplomatic Office does not enjoy the imprimatur of the Republic of Kenya and cannot be allowed to proceed,” the statement read.
This left Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), who had just landed in Nairobi, in a state of political limbo. He had been welcomed with fanfare by Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho only hours before the cancellation.
The visit was intended to symbolically elevate the status of Somaliland’s diplomatic presence in Kenya, a gesture that could have hinted at warming ties between the two governments.
Instead, the move has exposed the limits of Somaliland’s international outreach and highlighted the complex web of diplomatic relations Kenya must navigate in the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland’s Diplomacy Stalls in Face of Somalia Pressure
The sudden cancellation appears to have been heavily influenced by Kenya’s ongoing diplomatic relationship with Somalia.
Just before halting the inauguration, Nairobi reaffirmed its official position recognizing the Federal Government of Somalia as the sole legitimate authority over all Somali territories—including Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally.
“Kenya unequivocally recognises the authority of the Federal Government in Mogadishu as the sole and legitimate body responsible for administering the affairs of Somalia, including those of its regions,” Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
Despite Somaliland’s efforts to bolster its profile through strategic partnerships and liaison offices abroad, it continues to face obstacles from powerful regional players like Somalia, which view any international engagement with Hargeisa as a threat to Somali territorial integrity.
Somaliland’s spokesman, Hussein Adan Igeh, revealed that the administration had even sent a Special Envoy and Economic Advisor ahead of the President’s arrival to prepare for the event and facilitate early discussions. Their efforts, however, were shut down at the eleventh hour.
“In advance of the delegation’s arrival, the President’s Special Envoy and Economic Advisor travelled to Nairobi to oversee preparatory arrangements and facilitate early engagements,” Igeh said in a press release.
Kenya Reasserts Control as Somaliland Looks for Allies
The Liaison Office in Nairobi has operated for years, providing consular services and representing Somaliland’s political and economic interests in Kenya. While not officially an embassy, the planned inauguration was seen as an attempt to raise its profile—possibly to a level that would test Kenya’s diplomatic limits.
Kenya’s move to cancel the ceremony underscores its cautious diplomacy in the Horn of Africa. While the country maintains trade and security ties with Somaliland, it remains under pressure not to antagonize the internationally recognized government in Mogadishu.
By cancelling the event, Kenya effectively walked a tightrope between maintaining practical relations with Somaliland and adhering to the African Union’s principle of respecting existing state borders.
Still, the decision has been seen by some as a diplomatic slight, if not an outright humiliation, for the Somaliland President. Irro’s arrival in Nairobi was designed to be symbolic—a show of Somaliland’s growing influence and willingness to engage the wider region. Instead, it turned into a reminder of the region’s complex geopolitics and Somaliland’s continued isolation on the world stage.
Despite the blow, Kenya reiterated its willingness to continue engaging with Somaliland on matters of mutual interest, especially in trade and security.
“The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Liaison Office of Somaliland in Nairobi the assurances of its continued goodwill,” the statement concluded.
