Somaliland will not be recognised, so Somalia must govern

[Deeq A.]

Women wrapped in Somaliland’s flags take part in celebrations of the 27th anniversary of self-declared independence of Somaliland in Hargeisa on May 15, 2018. Somaliland’s independence bid has stalled, leaving Somalia with a test — can it turn autonomy into real unity? (Photo credit: https://theeastafrican.co.ke)

Somaliland’s long pursuit of independence has reached its ceiling. Recognition is not coming. That is not a judgment about its ambition. It is the settled position of the regional and international order.

For years, it has tried to make recognition a question of image. Its leaders and allies have worked Western capitals, placed arguments in policy circles, and sold a simple line: Somaliland governs itself, holds elections, keeps order, and deserves to be treated as different from Mogadishu. The pitch was clear: We are reliable. We are disciplined. We deserve statehood.

That effort won attention but not sovereignty. Governments listened. Delegations visited Hargeisa and praised its stability. Sympathetic essays were published in policy outlets. But, when the conversation moved from admiration to recognition, it stopped. Read more here 

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