By Horn Africa News
HARGEISA – Lawmakers from the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, currently on an official visit to Finland, have urged the Helsinki government to redirect its development assistance directly to Somaliland, bypassing Mogadishu.
During their trip, the delegation met with Finnish officials and members of the Somali diaspora community, arguing that Somaliland has long been marginalized in aid allocations despite its relative stability and governance progress compared to the rest of Somalia.
According to the delegation, Finland contributed approximately €54 million in development assistance to Somalia over the past four years, funding projects in education, governance, and humanitarian support. However, Somaliland officials say only a fraction of that assistance has reached their territory, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains internationally unrecognized.
The lawmakers’ appeal comes at a sensitive moment, following Finland’s suspension of aid to Somalia earlier this year. The freeze was triggered by Mogadishu’s refusal to accept Somali nationals deported from Finland and other European countries. Finland has linked its development cooperation to migration and repatriation agreements, insisting that aid partners must cooperate on the return of failed asylum seekers.
Somaliland has also stated that it will not accept deportees, a stance that complicates its request but underscores the region’s determination to separate aid flows from migration politics.
Despite this, Somaliland’s representatives maintain that aid should be distributed based on humanitarian need and development impact, not political disputes. They argue that direct funding to Hargeisa would strengthen programs in healthcare, education, and infrastructure—areas where international assistance remains vital.
The delegation further highlighted Somaliland’s track record of holding multiple democratic elections, establishing functioning state institutions, and maintaining relative peace in contrast to the instability in southern Somalia. They urged Finland and other European partners to recognize these achievements by working with Somaliland directly.
Finland has not yet issued a public response to Somaliland’s request. Analysts, however, note that the appeal underscores a broader dilemma faced by international donors: how to maintain relations with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu while addressing Somaliland’s demands for recognition and a greater share of global aid.
