The UAE’s Visa Split: How One Passport Decision Exposes the Unresolved Somalia-Somaliland Divide
The UAE’s decision to suspend visas for Somali passport holders while exempting Somaliland reveals how international recognition—or its absence—can transform everyday documents into geopolitical weapons.
A Tale of Two Passports
The United Arab Emirates’ recent visa policy change represents far more than a routine immigration adjustment. By halting visa issuance to Somali passport holders while maintaining access for those carrying Somaliland documents, the UAE has effectively drawn a line in the sand of one of Africa’s most enduring political disputes. This move affects thousands of families, business relationships, and diplomatic ties that have developed over decades between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf states.
The timing and specificity of this decision raise critical questions about the UAE’s strategic calculus. Somalia and Somaliland have existed in a state of political limbo since 1991, when Somaliland declared independence from Somalia following a brutal civil war. Despite functioning as a de facto state with its own government, currency, and yes, passports, Somaliland remains unrecognized by any UN member state. The UAE’s visa policy, while stopping short of formal recognition, sends an unmistakable signal about where its sympathies—and perhaps its economic interests—lie.
Beyond Border Control: The Ripple Effects
For the Somali diaspora in the UAE, estimated to number in the tens of thousands, this policy change represents an immediate crisis. Many work in sectors ranging from transportation to small business ownership, sending crucial remittances back home. The suspension effectively strands those currently outside the UAE and places those inside in a precarious position when their residency permits expire. The human cost extends to separated families, disrupted education plans, and severed business partnerships that have taken years to build.
The economic implications stretch far beyond individual hardships. The UAE serves as a critical trade hub for Somalia, with Dubai’s ports handling a significant portion of goods destined for Mogadishu and other Somali cities. This visa suspension could complicate trade relationships, increase costs, and push Somali businesses to seek alternative partners—perhaps in Turkey, Qatar, or other regional players eager to expand their influence in the Horn of Africa.
A New Chapter in Gulf-Horn Relations
This move must be understood within the broader context of shifting Gulf interests in the Horn of Africa. The UAE has invested heavily in Somaliland’s Berbera port, seeing it as a strategic asset in its competition for maritime influence with other Gulf states. By differentiating between Somali and Somaliland passports, the UAE appears to be leveraging its soft power to advance harder strategic objectives. This could prompt other Gulf states to reconsider their own policies, potentially creating a cascade effect that further entrenches the Somalia-Somaliland divide.
The African Union and other international bodies now face a delicate challenge. While they have consistently supported Somalia’s territorial integrity, the UAE’s decision demonstrates how non-state actors and regional powers can effectively create facts on the ground that challenge official diplomatic positions. This passport politics could force a broader reconsideration of how the international community engages with unrecognized but functional states.
As travelers scramble to verify their documentation and families grapple with sudden separation, one thing becomes clear: in an interconnected world, the simple act of issuing or denying a visa can reshape political realities. Will this UAE decision push Somalia and Somaliland toward reconciliation, or will it deepen a divide that has already lasted more than three decades?
