Flag of Somalia come up with a design in preparation for independence. The flag was first used in the Trust Territory of Somaliland and the short-lived State of Somaliland, which united on July 1, 1960, to form the Somali Republic. As an ethnic flag, the five-pointed white "Star of Unity" in its center represents the areas where the Somali ethnic group has traditionally resided, namely Djibouti, Somaliland (former British occupied land), the Ogaden region in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and southern Somalia (former Italian colony). The Somali flag's light blue backdrop was originally influenced by the flag of the United
Order of the African Star colony, it is still considered to be a Belgian Order by tradition. The Order of the African Star is theoretically awarded by royal decree with approval by the Council of Ministers. Following the independence of Congo in 1960, the Order of the African Star is no longer awarded, although it officially still exists; it can thus be declared a "dormant" order. The Order of the African Star is administered by the FPS Foreign Affairs and has five classes and three medals: The "Badge" of the order is a white enamelled five-pointed star with blue borders, surrounded by a crown of