In other words, our children's future depends on whether we choose to lead or follow. The probability that Somaliland's government will be the primary driver of recognition is effectively zero. This isn't a radical position, it's an observation based on historical precedent and current facts. The Government-Centric Fallacy For decades, Somaliland's recognition strategy has suffered from a basic…
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The results have been devastating. Djibouti held parallel meetings with both Khatumo and Somaliland as if they were equals. Kenya offered Irro a protocol embarrassment. Qatar treated Somaliland as a mere "region" and federal state, pushing for "reconciliation" with Somalia while invoking misplaced and irrelevant Somalia's territorial integrity. Ankara rushed to sign maritime agreements with…
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The result? Somaliland is being treated as a regional afterthought. Djibouti held parallel meetings with both Khatumo and Somaliland as if they were equals. Kenya offered Irro a protocol embarrassment. Ankara rushed to sign a joint declaration with Somalia, implicitly denying Somaliland's autonomy. All of this happened within Irro's first few months in office. The problem isn't just diplomatic…
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Trump's recognition of Somaliland goes beyond just countering Chinese influence. It reflects a practical need to bring back realism - a foreign policy approach that emphasizes U.S. national interests and addresses the limits of relying too heavily on international institutions through the lens of Liberalism. The Shortcomings of Liberalism in the Horn of Africa Liberalism has worked well for Europe…
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Whereas the Republic of Somaliland attained full independence from Britain on 26 June 1960 following a successful and peaceful civil movement; Whereas Britain declared that any potential union between Somaliland and Somalia was to be negotiated and agreed upon solely by the respective states, without interference from third parties; Whereas Somaliland’s Act of Union, meant to formalize the union…
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Belittling Somaliland’s internal conflicts and complexity, and as a result, its achievements in reaching national reconciliation. Distancing other clans such as the Gadabursi, who played a critical role in Somaliland’s nation-building process. Reducing the rich and longstanding Somaliland identity to "a clan seceding from the rest of the Somalis." Somaliland was never viewed as Isaaq versus non…
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Somaliland’s story is one of remarkable recovery—it’s the only truly democratic nation in the Horn of Africa, functioning as a sovereign state in every meaningful sense. Unlike Somalia, which is infamous for warlords, piracy, and terrorism, Somaliland has managed to avoid these issues entirely. Yet, paradoxically, it remains unrecognised internationally, while Somalia, a country with ongoing…
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Somaliland’s Unrecognised Status and Global Stance Before we dig deep into Somaliland's adversaries, it's important to understand the global stance on Somaliland. Somaliland is an unrecognised country, but it’s not prohibited from becoming a recognised state. Unlike northern Cyprus, there is no UN resolution preventing countries from recognising Somaliland. As many of you know, Somaliland was…
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Critics of the Somaliland-Ethiopia Memorandum of Understanding frequently invoke the principle of territorial integrity to challenge us. However, this line of argumentation is misguided, and there are multiple angles from which to demonstrate this. While one might anticipate that, as a supporter of Somaliland, I would default to the typical arguments surrounding its colonial borders, its status as…
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Timeline 🗓️ 1943-1960: The Struggle for Independence 🗓️ 1980-1991: The Struggle to End Autocracy 🗓️ 1991-Present: The Struggle to End International Isolation From the timeline above, you can see our history is divided into three key parts: the fight for independence, the battle against autocracy, and the ongoing effort to overcome international isolation. Our current situation mirrors Africa…
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Having a navy near Bab Al Mandab signifies Ethiopia's emergence as a major regional military power, while its leadership in recognising Somaliland serves as a diplomatic aspect of this emergence. Together, this puts an end to the vacuum filled by Houthi rebels as a result of Somalian anarchy and the lack of recognition of Somaliland. The Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) causes short…
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While some attribute these manoeuvres to President Bihi's style, others see it as a result of Somaliland's ability to leverage its democracy in geopolitical affairs. With the absence of international recognition for more than three decades but with regular electoral cycles, Somaliland has facilitated the country's capacity for significant diplomatic shifts during a presidential term. These shifts…
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Leap to 2024: The narrative of Somaliland echoes this age-old battle. Despite showcasing robust self-governance, stability, democratic principles and unique history, it still faces global non-recognition, paralleling the scepticism Galileo faced This contemporary oversight stems not from dogmatic beliefs but from a modern misunderstanding of international law and Somaliland's historical nuances…
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Recently, three Somaliland citizens were killed in Somalia's capital following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Somaliland and Ethiopia. This event marks a new and alarming trend of targeted killings, deviating from past decades when individuals were not typically targeted based on their national identity amidst Somalia's ongoing turmoil. The root of this hostility can be traced back…
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Often, the US State Department views the failed state of Somalia as the only contrast to Al-Shabab and not Somaliland. The fight against Al-Shabab remains a critical concern for global security and, therefore, should responsibly place Somaliland in a strategic position as an unwavering ally. Formal recognition of Somaliland is a strategic necessity that can bolster efforts to combat terrorism by…
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Your organization claims to have been established in 1995 to anticipate crises following the collapse of Somalia in 1991. Yet, in your On the Horizon: October 2023-March 2024, you predicted three developments in Somaliland. Guess what? None of them happened!!!! Meanwhile, back in 2006, you published a report titled "Somaliland: Time for African Union Leadership" where it was stated: "Despite fears…
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The real issue that critics of the MoU are concealing is how Somalia's federal states perceive the MoU. For instance, will they embark on significant projects with Ethiopia or Kenya without involving the FGS? Compounding this issue is the FGS's assertion that Somaliland is a federal state when, in reality, it functions as an independent nation. This discrepancy inadvertently encourages other…
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The term "Faqash" is widely used in Somaliland to describe members or supporters of Siyad Barre's oppressive regime. While Barre’s government has long been overthrown, some in Somalia still cling to its legacy, including a few neo-Faqash ministers within President Hasan Sheikh’s administration, who seem to view Al-Shabaab as less of a threat compared to Somaliland. Had Barre chosen to engage with…
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African Union's Strategic Role in Ethiopia and Somaliland's MoU The recent memorandum of understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which allows Ethiopia sea access, is a significant milestone in the Horn of Africa region. This arrangement, soon to become a treaty, will formally recognise Somaliland's sovereignty within its borders as they were in 1960, a notable development given Somaliland's…
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Background: Shifting Policies Exacerbating Ongoing Conflict In February 2008, the U.S. and Somaliland achieved a significant milestone with the visit of Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, to Hargeysa. During a panel discussion in 2020, Jendayi Frazer expressed regret for not advocating more strongly for Somaliland's recognition during her tenure as assistant…
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On the other side of the continent, we find Somaliland, where its citizens have adeptly debunked legal misconceptions surrounding their statehood. A new generation of Somaliland advocates confidently assert, "It's not de facto, stupid!" They rightfully emphasize a widely accepted understanding based on the fact that Somaliland has never lost its independence due to the unratified and rejected act…
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I believe that fair and democratic elections are crucial for Somaliland. Unfortunately, the current political landscape is restrictive, with only three parties allowed to participate, and a ten-year waiting period for other political associations to compete again. This unfair monopoly on elections has been one of the main criticisms of Somaliland's political process It is important to note that…
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Both are running behind schedule because of an ongoing constitutional crisis since Jan 2022 about which election comes first. The Bihi government and the opposition have different preferences and it is hard to explain what is really going on. Best place to learn more about this: my YouTube series on Somaliland Constitutional crisis. In this blog post, I want to highlight a great and timely…
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Only a fair, open and transparent system will resolve current conflicts and guarantee wider participation in politics by the youth and regional Somaliland. We should no longer stand on the sidelines. The new proposals for Law 14 from current political parties do not only aim to resolve their own conflict but they're overreaching to dictate the political future for all of Somaliland's next…
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2022 July update Ethiopian Foreign Policy in the Horn of Africa: Informal Relations with Somaliland and their Possible Future Development (2016) BEING A DE FACTO STATE IS
NOT ENOUGH
Somaliland’s innovative regime (2022) Recognition may not be Somaliland’s immediate goal
(2022)
Sacred Rhetoric and the Legitimacy of Unrecognized States(2022) External Power Competition in the Horn of Africa…
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If you noticed, things are not the same. When I started this advocacy our audience was the western elites (IR experts, MPs, journalists influencers etc). The challenge was to first let them know about us and then address any misconceptions they have about Somaliland's unique position in the world. At the same time, several geopolitical events have opened up a very rare opportunity for Somaliland's…
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In the following week, Australia is hosting the Quad meeting of foreign ministers in our city Melbourne. Since its inception, the goals of this alliance have included an open and free indo-pacific. Unfortunately, democracy and alliance with free democracies have not improved much since the last Quad meeting in Washington DC. We have seen how the Solomon islands for example switched its recognition…
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However, no one has told that to Claire Elders in her latest article in the reputable International Affairs journal. In this blog, I will explain how such a scientific paper does not even meet the standards of a news article let alone peer-reviewed journals. It is an insult not to Somaliland but to science and research methods. If Claire or the publisher did not take corrective actions, it will…
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The Somaliland and Somalia talks' should follow all of the following four principles: Principle #1: Somaliland statehood is based on aspects that require international intervention; not Mogadishu's Approval. Somaliland statehood is based on the following aspects: Respecting colonial boundaries and historical independence since 1884 an unratified union with Somalia The genocide of 100,000 people…
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Kulmiye1 and Somaliland Sovereignty During their time in government, former Kulmiye member Hirsi Ali Xaaji and his group, known as Kulmiye1, temporarily stopped pursuing international recognition for Somaliland. This has been confirmed by an insider and a close ally of Somaliland on the international stage. President Bihi, however, has ended seven years of self-imposed isolation and reaffirmed…
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The only issue that didn't invoke an intervention is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Somaliland people. This is despite the inviting 2005 African Union fact-finding mission that recommends finding a special method of dealing with Somaliland's outstanding case. In this article, I will explain why Somalia will never recognise Somaliland and for very good reasons. Then, I will…
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Taiwan/China ( 🇦🇺 🇺🇸 🇯🇵 🇮🇳 ) Somaliland is one of the few African countries that established relations with Taiwan. This can make Somaliland subject to the US TAIPEI Act of 2019 which allows US to protect Taiwan allies. On China's influence on Africa, Somaliland held its ground against China's tactics to cut ties with Taiwan. Horn of Africa ( 🇺🇸 ) According to Freedom House, Somaliland…
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Where can I see Far Wadaad? This video by Aziz Farah will show you an 90 years letter from a man called Saleh Dirir in Berbera to his wife Haboon Wacays in Burco. Where can I try Far Wadaad? Head to this page where you can convert from Somali Latin to far wadaad How do these Scripts compare Below you can see the difference between current Somali (Latin) script, Galaal script and Aw Barkhadle…
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However, Egal's system started to erode when our tribal society found a loophole. In Local elections, each family or subclan tries to play the system to maximize its representation. In Parlement elections, the same strategy is followed but on a higher hierarchy. Finally in presidential elections, since there are only three candidate seats, elders from the Zayla to Laas Qoray started to form…
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Contrary to what I thought, we have 4 climates in Somaliland: Hot desert climates (BWh) Cold semi-arid climates (BSk) Subtropical highland oceanic climate (Cwb) Hot semi-arid climates (BSh) This is called Köppen climate classification. It is an awesome system that helps you think more clearly about the weather conditions anywhere in the world. It lets you say for example Melbourne has about the…
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