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Statement on the Death of Muhammed Ibrahim
Egal, Leader of Somaliland
The Government of the Republic of South Africa has
learnt with regret and sadness of the passing away of
the leader of Somaliland, Muhammad Ibrahim Egal who
was undergoing treatment in a South African hospital
at the time of his death.
Somaliland received its independence from Great Britain
on 26 June 1960, and later voluntarily united with Somalia.
Its withdrawal from this union in 1991 was not recognized
by the international community. In May 2001 a referendum
reinforced the sentiments of the people of Somaliland
for self-government.
Muhammad Egal belonged to a generation of leaders of
Africa at the time of independence from colonialism,
and was a contemporary of Kwame Nkrumah, Leopold Senghor
and Jomo Kenyatta. He was the first democratically elected
Prime Minister of Somalia.
The Government expresses its condolences to Somaliland
and its people.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
3rd May 2002
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