Somaliland Sovereignty Day commemorates May 18, 1991, when Somaliland declared itself independent after decades of hardship under Somali rule, reclaiming the short-lived sovereignty it first had in 1960. It is celebrated as a day of freedom, resilience and national pride.

When is Somaliland Sovereignty Day?

Somaliland Sovereignty Day is celebrated every year on May 18.

The following is the list of Somaliland Sovereignty Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Somaliland Sovereignty Day?

British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the Horn of Africa. On June 26, 1960, it gained independence as the State of Somaliland and was recognized by several countries, including the UK. Just five days later, on July 1, 1960, it voluntarily united with the former Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.

The union soon became troubled: political imbalances, marginalization of Somalilanders, and authoritarian rule strained relations.

During the 1980s, under President Siad Barre, the Somali government brutally suppressed opposition in the north, including mass killings and destruction of cities like Hargeisa. These events fueled Somalilanders' determination to break away from Somalia.

Following the collapse of Somalia's central government in 1991, the Somali National Movement (SNM), along with clan elders and local leaders, convened in Burao.

On May 18, 1991, they declared Somaliland independent, reviving the sovereignty first achieved in June 1960. Hargeisa was established as the capital.

May 18 became Somaliland Sovereignty Day, the most important national holiday in the region. It marks Somaliland's de facto independence, though it remains unrecognized internationally.

Since then, Somaliland has developed its own government, constitution, elections, and institutions, often praised as more stable than the rest of Somalia.