Divide and rule in the Horn of Africa: How the UAE fuels separatism to fracture Somalia

As Somalia witnesses the historic inauguration of the first administration of the North-Eastern State, the moment carries profound national, regional, and symbolic significance. This administration emerges from a painful chapter in Somalia’s recent history — one marked by oppression, violence, and massacre, particularly the brutal attack on Las’Anod in 2023, when Somaliland forces shelled civilian neighborhoods, displaced tens of thousands, and attempted to impose authority through force rather than consent. 

Today’s ceremony is not merely a political event. It is a declaration: Somalia’s unity cannot be dictated by bullets, nor redrawn by foreign capitals. Somalia’s unity cannot be dictated by bullets, nor redrawn by foreign capitals. 

The presence of the Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Sudan at the inauguration is especially meaningful. Their attendance sends a clear diplomatic signal that key Muslim-majority nations recognize the legitimacy of Somali federal unity and the right of local communities to self-govern within a sovereign Somalia — not outside it. In an era of growing external interference, this show of solidarity matters. 

Yet even as Somalis take steps toward healing and inclusive governance, foreign actors continue to push a dangerous separatist agenda — most notably through the ongoing campaign to legitimize Somaliland’s secession. 

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At the center of this campaign stands the United Arab Emirates, whose political, economic, and military entanglements in Somaliland have gone far beyond development or cooperation. The UAE has consistently bypassed Somalia’s federal institutions, empowering parallel authorities and entrenching division. This is not neutrality — it is strategic fragmentation. 

More troubling still is the UAE’s alignment with Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a move that reflects a broader divide-and-rule strategy increasingly visible across the Muslim world. Fragment weak states, elevate breakaway entities, secure ports and military access — and in doing so, dilute collective political power. Somalia is simply the latest target. 

This approach echoes the oldest colonial playbook, now repackaged as “investment,” “security partnerships,” and “regional stability.” In reality, it produces the opposite: instability, resentment, and bloodshed. In reality, it produces the opposite: instability, resentment, and bloodshed. 

The tragedy of Las’Anod stands as undeniable proof. In 2023, residents rose up against years of political marginalization and coercive rule by the Somaliland administration. The response was devastating: artillery fire on civilians, mass displacement, and the destruction of homes, hospitals, and schools. The city’s eventual liberation was not a separatist rebellion — it was a popular rejection of imposed authority. 

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The creation of the North-Eastern State, and today’s inauguration of its first administration, is the democratic and moral consequence of that struggle. It reflects the will of the people — not foreign sponsorship, not imposed borders, and not elite deals struck in distant capitals. 

Those pushing for Somaliland’s international recognition deliberately ignore this reality. Recognition does not create legitimacy; justice does. Sovereignty cannot be outsourced, and Somalia’s borders cannot be redrawn by states pursuing narrow geopolitical interests. Sovereignty cannot be outsourced, and Somalia’s borders cannot be redrawn by states pursuing narrow geopolitical interests. 

The attendance of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Sudan should remind the world that Somalia is not isolated, and that principled partners still respect international law, territorial integrity, and the unity of Muslim nations. Their presence contrasts sharply with the actions of those who seek influence through division. 

Somalia’s path forward lies not in fragmentation, but in inclusive federalism, accountability, and national reconciliation — free from foreign manipulation. The international community must choose whether it stands with stability and law, or with chaos disguised as diplomacy. 

Let this inauguration mark a turning point. A rejection of divide-and-rule politics. A reaffirmation of Somali unity. And a warning to those who believe Somalia can be carved up without consequence. 

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.