In the peace treaty of February 1947 , Italy officially renounced sovereignty over its African colonies . Eritrea was placed under British military administration for the duration , and in 1950 , it became part of Ethiopia . After 1945 , Britain controlled both Somalilands , as protectorates . In November 1949 , during the Potsdam Conference , the United Nations granted Italy trusteeship of Italian Somaliland under close supervision , on condition that Somalia achieve independence within ten years . British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland , the Trust Territory of Somalia ( ex-Italian Somaliland ) became independent on 1 July 1960 and the territories united as the Somali Republic
Potsdam Conference
Potsdam Conference
Italian East Africa