NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya has denied authorizing the opening of a Somaliland liaison office in Nairobi, stating that the event, held earlier this week, lacks official approval and does not signify recognition of the self-declared independent region.
In a formal statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Kenya reaffirmed its recognition of the Federal Republic of Somalia as the sole legitimate government and expressed concern over the ceremony held in the capital’s Runda neighborhood on May 27.
“The event has not been granted approval from this Ministry,” the statement read. “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.”
Reaffirming the position of the Government of Kenya.
The move by Somaliland—whose President, Abdirahman Mohamed, personally presided over the Nairobi office launch—appears to be part of a broader strategy to expand its diplomatic footprint across East Africa, despite a lack of international recognition.
The Kenyan government, while distancing itself from the ceremony, acknowledged its working relationships with Somaliland and other sub-national governments in the Horn of Africa, including Jubaland.
It said these ties are aimed at enhancing peace, trade, and regional security—but stressed they do not equate to formal recognition.
“Kenya appreciates its relations with Somaliland and other regional governments,” the statement noted, highlighting the country’s ongoing diplomatic engagement with Somalia’s federal government to support state-building efforts.
The inauguration has triggered fresh tensions with Mogadishu, which has long viewed foreign dealings with Somaliland as a challenge to Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Nairobi’s public clarification appears aimed at managing the fallout with Somalia while preserving unofficial channels with Somaliland.
Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia in 1991, has pursued recognition from the international community for decades, operating liaison offices in several countries despite its unrecognized status.
Kenya now finds itself in a familiar diplomatic bind: upholding Somalia’s sovereignty on the global stage while pragmatically engaging with regional entities that wield real political and economic influence within Somalia’s borders.
