It is time for the world to give Somaliland’s citizens the dignity they deserve.
By Alex Bae
Imagine you’re faced with an unknown animal. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, chances are it’s a duck, right?
Now, let’s say instead of a duck, we’re looking at a place like Somaliland. It has a defined border, holds free and fair elections, and issues its own currency. It’s probably a country, right?
If only it were that simple.
From 1884 until 1960, Somaliland existed as a British protectorate; it then enjoyed five days of full independence before unifying with the rest of modern-day Somalia, which had been under Italian control. After a 1969 coup installed an authoritarian regime and plunged the country into civil war, northern leaders restored the former protectorate’s borders and declared Somaliland’s independence in 1991.
Somaliland’s citizens greeted this declaration with optimism—expecting international aid, diplomatic ties, and economic growth—but with no country willing to grant formal recognition, those hopes have largely remained out of reach. In spite of this, Somaliland has continued to persevere, experiencing modest successes: building a relatively strong democracy, attracting minor foreign investment, and enjoying stability far greater than that of Somalia.
Thus, the question remains: why hasn’t any country recognized it?
At the crux of this issue lies the African Union (AU)—an organization of 55 African states aiming to promote peace, unity, and development—which has adopted a policy of “uti possidetis.” Outlined in Article 4 of the African Union Constitutive Act, this principle calls for honoring colonial-era borders, fearing that recognizing a secessionist movement today could embolden movements across the continent. Respecting the AU’s policy, countries across the globe have refrained from recognizing Somaliland.
However, Somaliland’s circumstances are unique. As a 30-year-old homegrown democracy with peaceful transfers of power, recognition would actually raise the bar for secession, not encourage it. This would signal that regions can only legitimately secede after proving decades of stable, democratic governance—not through excessively violent bids for independence.
The AU’s recognition policy is not just misguided—it unjustly strips Somaliland of economic stability. The absence of recognition, and with it a lack of formal alliances and investors, has stifled economic opportunities. The average income per person is in the hundreds of dollars, and Somaliland is the 18th-poorest nation globally.
Especially as severe droughts ravage crop production and the livestock industry, financial support is needed more than ever to keep the economy afloat. Indeed, Somaliland officials seek to utilize their 850-kilometer coastline to kickstart a fishing industry. However, only 1% of the potential catch is harvested due to minimal investment in infrastructure such as cooling systems, storage, and transportation.
Droughts have also driven a humanitarian crisis, leaving 800,000 people displaced. Unfortunately, Somaliland’s lack of recognition is hindering critical aid delivery as international law dictates that humanitarian assistance must respect national sovereignty. Since Somaliland is technically considered part of Somalia, aid bound for Somaliland must travel 900 miles from Somalia’s war-torn capital before reaching those in need.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
The global recognition of Somaliland as an independent state would enable its participation in global financial institutions like the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund. It would also reassure investors of the nation’s legitimacy and reliability, driving an influx of economic support that would alleviate financial woes.
Recognition stands as a clear catalyst for unlocking the aid necessary to turn democratic gains into economic resilience and humanitarian relief. Somaliland’s exclusion from the international community represents a grave injustice that condemns its people to economic hardship, malnutrition, and needless human suffering.
A duck is a duck. Enough is enough. It is time for the world to right this historical wrong and finally give Somaliland’s citizens the dignity they deserve.
Alex Bae
