Hargeisa, Somaliland – Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Cirro) held a meeting last night at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa with George Conway, the UN Deputy Special Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator, along with a large delegation that included the Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

According to a statement from the Somaliland Presidency, the meeting focused on key issues including peace, stability, democracy, humanitarian aid, and the review of the quality, scale, and funding of UN-led projects in Somaliland.

President Cirro urged the UN to ensure that its support is delivered fairly and that Somaliland receives an appropriate share of aid and development resources.

“The President told the UN Deputy Special Representative that support from the United Nations must be fair, and that Somaliland should receive its rightful share of aid and funding,” the statement read.

The President also emphasized that Somaliland is ready to engage in trustworthy cooperation with the UN, but not in a begging manner. He stressed that Somaliland should not be confused with Somalia and called on the UN to respect Somaliland’s official position on self-determination, which was decided through a popular referendum by its people.

“Somaliland must not be mistaken for Somalia. The UN should respect the official stance of the people of Somaliland, which is a matter of national destiny decided by a full public referendum,” the statement added.

This call comes as Somaliland continues its 30-year quest for international recognition. Although it has not yet achieved formal recognition, it maintains informal ties with several countries and international organizations.