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Somaliland Government Calls for African Recognition
June 20, 2011 · 16 Comments
Somaliland appealed to African nations to grant the semi-autonomous region recognition as a sovereign state and called for international help to deal with piracy off its coast.
“We need more support from African states,” Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdillahi Omar said in an interview on June 15 in the capital, Hargeisa. “We need recognition, cooperation and assistance from African states.”
Somaliland, a former British colony, declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the ouster of former Somali dictator Mohammed Siad Barre. No sovereign state has formally recognized the area as independent. In March, the region opened a maximum-security prison built with United Nations funding to incarcerate pirates convicted of attacks off the coast of Somalia.
An increase in piracy, spurred by a 36-fold jump in ransom payments in five years, has threatened vessels carrying 20 percent of world trade and raised expenses for shippers. Costs linked to piracy may reach $13 billion to $15 billion by 2015 as global trade rebounds and pirates operate over wider areas, according to research firm Geopolicity Inc.
The impact on Somaliland has been that fewer ships are visiting its main port of Berbera, doubling the cost of its exports, Omar said. He didn’t provide more detailed figures.
Somaliland’s economy relies on shipments of camels, cattle, sheep and goats to the Middle East and North Africa, as well as remittances sent home from citizens living abroad, to generate foreign exchange.
‘Hijack Fears’
“Many ships have stopped coming to Berbera Port because of the fear of being hijacked by pirates,” Omar said. “The price of exports has doubled and we need to have more cooperation with the international community to discuss how to handle that burden.”
Somaliland’s Finance Ministry currently estimates the size of the economy at $1.2 billion, while the central bank puts the figure at $700 million, Bank of Somaliland Governor Abdi Dirir Abdi said last month.
As a step toward gaining recognition, the country has begun working more closely with neighboring countries including Djibouti, where it has opened an embassy, Ethiopia and Kenya, Omar said. “We are hoping to gain a better understanding of our aims in the near future,” he said, without providing further details.
Source:Bloomberg
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By Mo Guled
Tags: AU, Ethiopia, Somaliland, Somaliland Recognition, Somalilandpress
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African Union, it is time to do your duty as fair and credible organization and debate Somaliland's case. I believe your integrity is at stake and people of Somaliland and the world are watching your actions carefully.
Somalia is one nation and noo country can divide our country, european colony has already divided our great nation noo more Somalia is one nation and will be like that for ever peace will come inshaallah.
no one is talking about a nationhood in this article, but since you are blinded by hate or my be intellectually bit challenged. i am going to waste my time trying to enlighten you that Djibouti is also part of the great Somali nation but at the same time its an independent state,. Somaliland is trying to achieve an independent statehood NOT A NATIONHOOD. secondly if you are so passionate about the unity of somalia why don't spent your energy to do something about fractured south somalia and free it from OHIIIGA MOHIIIIIIGAA WAHIIIGAAA or whatever you call your proxy president,
Were you in amnesia for the last 20 years or so and just woke up or are you just a plain stupid and adition to your xaasidnimo? Anybody who knows the situation in Somalia and the difference between Somaliland and Somalia and how many have since Somaliland reverted to its earlier Statehood would laugh at your stupidity and ignorance. Get it a life, bloody dhabayaco!
Somalia does not have any moral claims on Somaliland because Somalian government recognize "Kosovo" who had never been independent state and always was part of Serbia. On the other side Somaliland get its independence before Somalia and choose to form union and so has all legal right to be independent. Accept will of Somaliland people.
Mr. Muwadin do not forget your mother and relatives are enjoying the peace we achieved by our people and you constantly deny that, while take care of your weak and displaced people. You know nothing about the word Somali, and your stupid comments will not change the reality.
I wish to recognize your ugly face for tomorrow's next course of action.
You yourself ofcourse don't know reality either, Somaliland is a fickle pseudo state that is largely made up of reluctant sool sanag ,cayan and adal regions that do not and refuse to contribute to the so called "democratic" nation. LOL, Djiboutian officials and populations are neither contributing to recognize issaqland if it means forcefully annexing awdalland and the ssc region.
Somalia hanoolato, Somaliland hanoolato. they are both my country or state whateva you wanna call it. the people are my people, somali people. much love.
The new ruler of the TFG is Mosevani. Dad or Uncule however you want to call him is incharge and he decides the next course of Action
@ Muwadin
My brother Muwadin has a freedom to express his opinion and so i wonder why so many of you is outraged by what he had to say about Somalia being one country, The truth is he is not alone to appose the country to be split into Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland. This Insha allah will not happen at least in my lifetime. Our grand parents fought and died for the unity of Somalia and we did not go to war with Ethiopia in 1977 for nothing, It was to bring back Ogaden back to Somalia, now to say Somaliland will split from Somalia is a sad story. The African Union understands the history of our country and will never allow Somalia to be divided.
Sorry Mr. Muktar. What you are saying is history. No Somali irredentism anymore. Unio uno perse e Dio per tutto, if you speak Italian, or Ninwalbowba Naftaa Ilaahayna wuu Innaga dhexeeyaa. We Somalilander intended to bring all in one, in 1960 and we gave you our bride on a plate, but you had a different agenda at the time. What is gone is gone and will never come back Somali!
Tell me distant cousin in colour, why your people are not accepting Somaliland to succeed? We have given a safe heaven to you week and displaced, yet you hate us. Is that Somalism?
Not in your lifetime and never in Africa,fool
Everything is politicalized now a day when people can do many other useful thing for themselves as well as their people and the land they called home. Fighting Pirate can be fought without recognition, keeping peace can be managed without recognition and building Sea Ports can be done without recognition. Somalia is today run from Uganda and Somaliland is run from Addis although things are very different then before. Puting this recognition a side, would people in Hargisa and Burco managed to defend their towns from an outsider if the recognition be granted? I don't know but we all know not every region in Somaliland is chasing recognition infact people in Awdal and Sool are against it. Somaliland will meet the same faith Somalia already experiencing right now becuase simple we are not this together
Recognition of Somaliland is inevitable and you can see already by you're statement. That Ethiopia has been supporting Somaliland and Puntland whilst Somalia has been from Uganda. That in it's self is a step towards separation of our affairs. A recognition of our differences…….
I think it is right Somalialnd to seek recognition but is the current system right for recognition which really I doubt.
One major problem is lack of accountability. For example the fees from Berbera Port still goes to President Silaanyo and his cronies without much accounatibility. Can any explain to me how come the treasury is in his house. Secondly, now days all the government contracts go to Dahabshiil who is President's supporter.
Is this right? i
Somaliland has come a long way and by this time our case should have been loud and clear. While the Diaspora is working hard 24/7 the weakness is coming from lack of aggressive foreign policy from the part of our's government. Somaliland's FM has somehow loosened the rope allowing the TFG using this as an opportunity to come through the back door. The Diaspora needs to keep an eye on the situation and specially on the progress that our new government is making. By now they should have knocked a lot of doors including the AU but our FM needs to wake up and know that one year is a long time for a nation that is hungry for recognition to play the waiting game. We need to ask serious questions as to why Somaliland's Foreign Policy has taken few steps back to the point that Somaliland is losing the bigger picture. Somaliland also needs to play their cards right by abstaining from internal clan politics and supporting the overall democratic leadership of the nation.Finally Somaliland has to walk the walk but should not expect recognition to knock their doors quite the opposite they have to knock every door.