CITIZENSHIP AND STATELESSNESS
IN THE HORN OF AFRICA
\Y
Table 5: Rules on dual nationality
Country
Dual nationality permitted?
Djibouti
Yes
(2004)
Sometimes
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Somaiia !!
Relevant legal provisions
No
t (x) (1992)
C1992Art24
L2018Art35
L1992Arts2,4&8
L2003Arts5,6&20
C2012Art8
(1930)
$ (2004)
L1962Arts2,4,6,10
dates in brackets are the year the current rule was adopted
!! constitution conflicts with legislation: Somalia’s constitution permits dual nationality for those born Somali, the
legislation does not
Dates in brackets are the year the current rule was adopted
(x) permission of government required
+ dual nationality allowed only for nationals from birth / prohibited for those who naturalise
Acquisition of nationality by naturalisation or registration
Naturalisation appears under the law to be easiest in Ethiopia, where the person
is required to “have
established his domicile in Ethiopia and to have lived in Ethiopia in total for at least four years preceding
the application”. The other residence periods provided are ten years for Djibouti; seven years for Somalia
(although Somaliland provides for ten years); and 20 years for Eritrea (joining just a handful of African
states in requiring such a long period).
and
Somaliland
add
provisions
All the territories have good character requirements, and Eritrea
excluding
opposed to their sovereign status.
people
from
naturalisation who
have
carried out activities
Other conditions for naturalisation typically include good health, or
the ability of the applicant to support him or herself (see Table 6).
A requirement to show integration through knowledge of a national language is also common.
Until 2003
Ethiopia required a person to “Know [the] Amharic language perfectly, speaking and writing it fluently”;
the current law relaxes this test, requiring only the ability to “communicate in any one of the languages
of the nations/nationalities of the Country.”®® Djibouti and Eritrea also require knowledge of a national
language.
Somalia
(and
Somaliland),
perhaps
surprisingly
given
the
general
emphasis
on
Somali
identity, do not have any such requirements.®9
The
Ethiopian
submitted
however,
to
Nationality
a
Nationality
Proclamation
Affairs
of 2003
Committee
no subsidiary legislation establishing
provides
accompanied
that
an
with
application
relevant
for
naturalisation
documents.%°
more detailed procedures for this process.
There
is
is,
A revised
88 Proclamation No. 378/2003, art.5 (cf Ethiopian Nationality Law of 1930, art. 12).
83 The Somaliland Citizenship Law provides for naturalisations to be granted by the president after consultation with a 12-person National Citizenship
Committee, made up of members of the Council of Ministers and chaired by the Minister of Internal Affairs. This committee has never been constituted.
Somaliland Citizenship Law No.22/2002, art.5.
9 Proclamation No. 378/2003, art.10(1); art. 23(1): “A Nationality Affairs Committee comprising the following members shall be formed: a) a representative of
the Authority (chairperson); b) a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (member); c) a representative of the Ministry of Justice (member); d) a
representative of the Federal Police Commission (member); e) a representative of the Authority (member and secretary).”
UNHCR
— December 2021
27