Somalia – Admission to the UN (July 1960)

Having achieved it’s independence on 1st July, 1960, Somalia wasted no time in submitting it’s application for admission to the United Nations (UN) in accordance with Article 4 of the UN charter. In a cable signed by the Provisional President of the Republic of Somalia at that time – HE Aden Abdulla Osman – and submitted to the UN on 1st July 1960, Somalia declared that it accepted the obligations stipulated in the charter and was ready to be part of the UN community.

That was the first step to obtaining membership at the UN after completing ten years of UN Trusteeship period in which Italy served as the administering authority. The second step was the consideration of the application by the UN Security Council which recommended Somalia for admission in its resolution 141 (5th July 1960) which was sponsored by the United Kingdom, Italy and Tunisia. This was followed by a resolution without a vote (meaning that there was no objection) in the UN General Assembly in September 20th 1960.

A day later, on September 21st 1960, delegation from Somalia led by HE Hajji Farah Ali Omar participated in the UN General Assembly’s 866th meeting and delivered a statement on behalf of the recently inaugurated president. HE Hajji Farah delivered words of gratitude from the new government as well as the people of Somalia. He pointed out that Somalia was not only ‘mature enough for self-government’ but also was prepared to participate in the UN’s efforts for peace. UN Member states welcomed Somalia’s admission to the UN and congratulated the people of Somalia for the attainment of their independence. Italy’s foreign minister at that time delivered words of praise to Somalia, it’s leaders and it’s people.

On September 30th 1960, Somali flag was raised along with fifteen new member states at the United Nation’s Headquarters in New York for the first time. Fifty-nine years later, Somali flag flies high at the UN and Somalia remains an active member of the UN.