Somalia: Opening a can of worms

[Deeq A.]

Somaliland Adminstration has been pursuing international recognition ever since it declared itself independent from Somalia in 1991.  

It has finally made some headway, with Israel recognizing it as a sovereign state and its foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, paying a visit this week.  

Somalia, which regards Somaliland as an integral part of its territory, reacted with predictable outrage, describing the deal as unlawful and a deliberate attack on its own sovereignty.

rally against a Ethiopia-Somaliland port pact in Mogadishu, Somalia, in January 2024, after Addis Ababa announced plans for access to a harbor and a military base in the autonomous region. Photographer: Said Yusuf Warsame/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the chairman of the African Union Commission, also chimed in, warning that there’s a risk of a dangerous precedent being set — with far-reaching implications for peace and stability across the continent. 

Somaliland’s quest for autonomy is understandable. While civil war has mired Somalia for three decades and it ranks among the poorest nations on earth, the breakaway territory has been mostly peaceful, is better governed and is way more prosperous. 

For Israel, the tie-up gives it a new partner on the strategic Gulf of Aden. It could also provide Jerusalem with a convenient launchpad to attack the Houthis, who have fired missiles at Israel and attacked ships in the Red Sea from their base in Yemen. 

Africa’s response has been equally rational. Governments across the continent face an ongoing struggle to maintain national unity and will be spooked by the notion of secessionist groups proclaiming independence and winning international support. 

Somaliland still has a long way to go before it realizes its dream of becoming a stand-alone country. US President Donald Trump says he is still considering the matter of recognition, while China, Turkey and most of the Arab world have backed Somalia and reaffirmed its existing boundaries.

The territory’s pact with Israel has nonetheless opened a can of worms that the rest of the region wishes had remained firmly shut. — Michael Cohen 

Source: Bloomberg