OCTOBER 12, 2024 — Somalia celebrates Flag Day today. According to the Somali government, this day marks the anniversary of the flag’s creation on that day in 1954 by Mohamed Awale Liban, six years before the country was independent.
Prime Minister Calls for Unity Against Islamic Militants
Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre led the nation’s celebration of Flag Day on October 12, calling for unity and resilience in the face of ongoing threats from insurgent group al-Shabaab, Shabelle Media Network reports.
In a message to Somalis worldwide, Barre stated, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all Somalis around the world on this Flag Day. We stand united in the face of threats to our national symbols and our peace.” He emphasized the need for collective strength to overcome al-Shabaab’s continued efforts to destabilize Somalia.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, al-Shabaab is a militant group formed in the early 2000s that seeks to establish an Islamic state in Somalia. The group maintains significant control over parts of central and southern Somalia and has recently expanded its operations to the north, engaging in conflict with Islamic State-affiliated fighters. However, al-Shabaab’s influence in Mogadishu has diminished significantly since 2011 due to combined offensives from Somali forces and African Union peacekeepers.
Minister of Defence Abdikadir Mohamed Nur also offered his congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the Somali flag’s first raising, as the Somali National News Network reports him stating, “I share the congratulations with the Somali people on this National Flag Day, commemorating the raising of our flag on October 12th, 1954.”
The Flag and its Design
The flag, first raised in Hargeisa on June 26, 1960, several days before independence on July 1, consists of a light blue field with a white five-pointed star in the center. The World Fact Book notes that the flag’s color was originally influenced by the UN, which was a reference to its role in helping Somalia achieve independence, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Now, the blue is said to represent life and Somalia’s natural resources, while the white star symbolizes peace and unity, with its five points representing the historical Somali regions divided by colonialism: British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland (now Somalia), Djibouti, Ogaden (Ethiopia), and the North East Province (Kenya).
The Life of Mohamed Awale Liban, Designer of the Flag
Mohamed Awale Liban, born in 1919 near Galkayo in the Mudug region, was an influential figure in Somalia’s history. According to the Historical Dictionary of Somalia, New Edition by Mohamed Haji Mukhtar, Liban received a religious education in Mogadishu, where he also became fluent in Italian, a skill that later shaped his career. Liban started his career working for the Italians, in fact, it had been noted by Encyclopedia Britannica that the white star on blue Liban would later adopt for the flag was also featured in the coat of arms used by colonial Somalia under Italian rule. Liban worked at the Italian Bar Savoia in Mogadishu before serving as a clerk under both Italian and British rule after World War II. During the British Military Administration, he was the clerk for the military governor in Galkayo.
In the 1940s, Liban became involved in Somali politics, first joining the Somali Youth League and later rising to its central committee by 1953. He later joined the Territorial Council, representing business interests, and it was how he was able to put forth his proposal for the flag in 1954.
From 1960 to 1967, Liban served as chief of staff for Somalia’s first president, Adan Abdulle Osman. US diplomat Robert Komer, who met Liban in 1963, described him as “obviously a thoughtful and moderate fellow” and “naturally a heartfelt spokesman for the Somalis whom he feels history has greatly wronged.” He later became the head of the civil service under President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke. After Somalia’s military coup in 1991, Liban retired and emigrated to Canada, where he passed away on June 5, 2001, in Toronto, reported Goobjoog.
Image: From Shabelle Media Network