Somalia Independence Day – June 26, 2024

History of Somalia Independence Day

In 1884, the Berlin Conference took place as European powers began the “Scramble for Africa.” Following the conference, Britain established a protectorate over a large part of Somalia, known as British Somaliland. During the dawn of fascism in the 1920s, Italy took over the north-eastern sultanates of the country, forcing them within the boundaries of La Grande Somalia, which became known as Italian Somaliland. Except in the Benadir territory, Italy only exercised authority under the successive protection treaties and not by direct rule.

On August 3, 1940, Italian troops and colonial Somali units invaded British Somaliland and succeeded in capturing Berbera a few days later. In January 1941, British forces launched a campaign to retake British Somaliland, conquer Italian Somaliland, and liberate Italian-occupied Ethiopia. Following the Second World War, Britain held both British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland as protectorates. However, during the Potsdam Conference of 1945, the United Nations (U.N.) permitted Italy to establish a trusteeship of Italian Somaliland as the Trust Territory of Somaliland.

On June 26, 1960, British Somaliland gained independence and became the State of Somaliland. Five days later, it merged with the Trust Territory of Somaliland to become the Somali Republic. Thus, June 26 of every year is celebrated as Somalia Independence Day while July 1 marks Republic Day in Somalia.