Page 33 - Nile Explorer Issue 12

Union and its predecessor that colonial- Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed(
era borders should be maintained. Some Farmajo) still pushing to renew unity
analysts also note that Somalilanders are talks, which stalled in 2015. However,
predominantly from the Isaaq clan, and Somaliland remains steadfast in its
thus ethnically distinctive from other ambitions. Foreign Minister Saad Ali
Somalis. Shire says that while Somaliland is
“From the Somalilanders’ perspective, open to collaborating with Somalia on
they have a completely reasonable issues such as counterterrorism and
argument,” says Bronwyn Bruton, food security, the two must agree to
deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s “recognize each other as independent
Africa center. “Somaliland is trying to African states.”
break off from Somalia, which hasn’t International mediators hope dialogue
been a functioning country in decades.” will soon begin. The United Nations’
The country’s weak economy and limited top envoy to Somalia, Michael Keating,
opportunities for foreign trade and says the time is right for fresh talks
investment have stifled the government’s given leadership changes on both sides.
capacity to provide services to its “Both Farmajo and Bihi are up for
approximately four million residents. it,” Keating told the media in a recent
Somaliland has a gross domestic op-ed. Negotiations could focus on
product (GDP) of about $2 billion, common concerns, such as drought and
most of which it receives in remittances environmental degradation, security
from Somalilanders working abroad. Its and maritime issues, and airspace
main export is livestock, which it ships management, said Keating.
to neighboring Djibouti and Ethiopia, Many countries have encouraged
as well as to Gulf States, such as Saudi the breakaway state’s elections and
Arabia and Oman. Its GDP per capita, economic development, but none have
in the hundreds of dollars, is one of the recognized Somaliland. Some experts
lowest in the world. say the African Union would have to be
The government is ineligible for the first to do so.
loans from the World Bank and the The bloc, however, fears that formal
International Monetary Fund since it recognition would embolden other
is not an internationally recognized secessionist movements on the continent,
Map showing horn of Africa state. President Muse Bihi Abdi, in an such as Nigeria’s Biafra or Morocco’s
op-ed after his November 2017 election Western Sahara, to demand the same.
victory, said that Somaliland’s exclusion Since the creation of a continental bloc
rate of 1.3 per cent; 55 per cent of the from international markets “compounds in 1963, there have only been two widely
3.5 million populations have either a the socioeconomic pressures that recognized border changes in Africa:
nomadic or semi-nomadic existence, Somaliland faces,” Eritrea’s split from Ethiopia in 1993 and
with the remainder living in urban South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
centres or rural towns. Average life Mogadishu rejects Somaliland’s claims
expectancy for women is 55 years; 50 to independence, with Somali President What is Somaliland’s strategic
years for men.
While Somaliland is among the poorest
countries in the world, it has proven
reserves of oil and natural gas. Concerns
about the potential political volatility,
combined with uncertainties around the
country’s unrecognized statehood and
the protection that can be given, most
major international energy companies
remain hesitant to embark on any big
investment project in Somaliland.
The Somaliland government asserts
that it meets most of the requirements
of a sovereign democratic state: it holds
free and fair elections, has its own
currency and security forces, and issues
its own passports. It also says that its
independence claim is consistent with
a longstanding norm of the African President Uhuru Kenyatta receives Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi at State
House, Nairobi on December 14, 2020.

The Nile Explorer 012 | 33