CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND (1960–2001)

The constitutional history of the Republic of Somaliland has passed through a number of distinct events and stages, closely connected with the history of Somaliland’s statehood, the reconstruction of national institutions, and the political process following 18 May 1991.

The constitutional development of Somaliland passed through ten major stages:

1. The Constitution of Somaliland of 1960 – The first Constitution of Somaliland, which came into force on 26 June 1960, when Somaliland gained independence from the United Kingdom.
2. The Reassertion of Somaliland’s Independence on 18 May 1991 – The Burao Conference resolved that Somaliland should reassert the independence it had achieved on 26 June 1960.
3. The National Charter, 1993–1997 – The National Charter became the political and constitutional foundation of the transitional period, followed by the 1995 extension of the National Charter.
4. The Interim Constitution of 156 Articles – Adopted in February 1997, it became the constitutional foundation of the transitional period.
5. The Constitutional Review & Revision Process, 1998–2000 – The Interim Constitution was reviewed and amended as part of the process of preparing a permanent Constitution to be submitted to a national referendum.
6. The Extension of the Constitutional Referendum Timetable, February 2000 – The process of constitutional approval and preparations for the referendum resulted in an extension of the timetable for completing the constitutional process.
7. Adoption of the Constitution by the Two Houses – The two Houses of Parliament approved the Constitution on 30 April 2000. The Constitution consisted of 130 Articles.
8. The Constitutional Referendum Law and Preparations for the Referendum – The Constitutional Referendum Law, Law No. 16/2000, was enacted, and the institutional and committee arrangements for organizing and conducting the referendum were established.
9. The National Constitutional Referendum – 31 May 2001 The national constitutional referendum was held on 31 May 2001, allowing the people of Somaliland to approve or reject the Constitution adopted by the two Houses of Parliament. The Constitution was approved by a large majority of the voters who participated in the referendum.
10. The Entry Into Force Of The Constitution – Following its approval through the national referendum, the Constitution entered into force and became the supreme legal foundation of the constitutional order of the Republic of Somaliland. Its entry into force marked the completion of the constitutional process that had begun with the reconstruction of Somaliland’s constitutional institutions after 18 May 1991

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Expiry of the Transitional Period
The three-year period during which the 1997 Constitution was to operate provisionally expired on 16 February 2000.
In February 2000, the two Houses of Parliament held a joint session and extended the provisional constitutional period by one year, allowing the constitutional review and finalization process to continue.
The 130-Article Constitution – 30 April 2000
In April 2000, the two Houses of Parliament received a new draft Constitution consisting of 130 Articles, prepared by the parliamentary committee appointed to undertake the constitutional review and reform process.
The two Houses approved the Constitution by a majority vote on 30 April 2000.

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