Somaliland
11/19/2013
Spencer Macquarrie & Bucky Pierce
Somaliland – Quick Facts
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Located on the eastern Horn of Africa
– Occupies the same land area
controlled by British Colonial Rulers
before 1960
Capital: Hargeisa
Official Languages: Somali, Arabic as a
second language, English
Government: Presidential Constitutional
Republic
– Acting President: Ahmed Mohamed
Mohamood (elected during 2010
elections)
Currency: Somaliland Shilling
Population: 3.5 million
– Population Density: 25 people/km2
Currently, Somaliland’s self-proclamation
as an independent state remains
internationally unrecognized, though it
does have informal ties with bordering
states and states that have a large Somali
diaspora presence
Geography
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Situated in northwestern Somalia
– 460 mile coastline on Gulf of Aden
Border States:
– Djibouti (West)
– Ethiopia (South)
– Puntland Region of Somalia (East)
Area: 137,600 km2 (About the size of
England)
Climate: Mixture of wet and dry regions,
diverse topography ranging from fertile
mountains to arid desert
– Able to support farms and livestock,
as well as a number of offshore
ecologies in the coastal regions
Demographics
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Most in Somaliland speak two of three
official languages: Somali, Arabic and English
– Somali declared official language in
constitution, but Arabic is a required
subject in school
Somali dialects: Northern, Benaadir and
Maay
– Dialect dominance appropriated by
region
Main religion practiced in Somaliland is
Islam, with most Somalis belonging to Sunni
branch
– Very few Christians
Clan system dominated by Isaaq, the thirdlargest demographic group in Somalia
– Clan groupings are important social
units, with clan membership playing an
important role in Somaliland’s politics
and culture
– Clans are patrilineal, often divided into
sub-clans with many sub-divisions
Economy
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Schilling is not an internationally recognized
currency, and has no official exchange rate
Bank of Somaliland serves as the country’s
Central Bank. Constitutionally established in
1994
Economy relies primarily upon remittances
and tax receipts from the broader Somali
diaspora
– Roughly $1B (USD) returns to
Somaliland from Somalis working abroad
– Accounts for roughly ¼ of household
income in Somalia/Somaliland region
– 40% of households rely upon this
assistance from relatives abroad
Economy
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Dahabshiil
– Handle 2/3 of these remittances.
– Offer significantly better rates at
roughly 3-4% VS. Western Union’s
7.1%
Provision of official foreign aid has
proven difficult
– Contributions from NGO’s, religious
groups, and the Diaspora help to
expand the provision of key public
services in the region
Livestock drives this region’s economy
– Export cattle, camels, and sheep to
the Gulf region
• 80% of national revenue comes
from duties imposed at the port of
Berbera
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Region’s largest port, serves
landlocked Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia,
and even Uganda
Political Geography
1. Salal
2. Awdal
3. Gabiley
4. Garoodi
5. Sahil
6. Oodweyne
7. Togdheer
8. Cayn
9. Sarar
10. Sool
11. Sanaag
12. Maakhir
13. Hawd
Political History – Somalia’s Legacy
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1888 – Established as a protectorate by the British
– Initially established by the British as a protectorate in 1888, after a series of successful
treaties with the Somali sultans who were ruling over the area at first
– This region was referred to as “British Somaliland”
– British did not have much interest in Somaliland – region was resource-barren
• British essentially established the protectorate to secure a supply market, check the
traffic in slaves, and to exclude the interference of foreign powers
– No established administrative infrastructure beyond coastline
1960 – Independence
– Area formerly known as British Somaliland became independent on June 26, 1960
– July 1, 1960 – Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland unite to form the Somali Republic
July 1961 – Somali people ratified constitution, formed what is now considered Somalia
October 1969 – Prime Minister Shermarke is assassinated, military coup d'état carried out by
Mohamed Siad Barre
– Barre regime would rule for next 21 years, becoming increasingly totalitarian and repressive
in the process
– Covered in Somalia presentation by Lindsay and Megan
Political History – Somaliland
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1991 – Somaliland Independence
– Under the Barre regime, several opposition resistance movements sprang up, including the
Isaaq-led Somali National Movement (SNM)
• Isaaq is one of the main Somali clans, whose members primarily reside in northwestern
Somalia, or what is now considered to be the Somaliland region
– SNM, at inception, had a unionist constitution, but it eventually began to rally for
independence and secession from the Somali state
– Burao Conference – Under leadership of Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur, local administration
declared the northwestern Somali territories as independent, formally establishing the
Somaliland territory
• Tuur became first President of Somaliland
1993 – Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal was appointed Tuur’s successor after the Grand Conference
of National Reconciliation, a conference which also led to improvements in security and
consolidation over the new territory
– Egal was reappointed in 1997 and remained in power until his death in 2002
2003 – Dahir Rayale Kahin became the first elected President of Somaliland
Somaliland Politics
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Somaliland currently employs a hybrid system of governance, combining traditional and western
institutions
During the Boorama inter-clan Conference of 1993, a qabil (community or clan) system of government
was constructed in which three separate branches of government were established
– Three branches are the Somaliland equivalent of the executive branch, the legislative branch and
the judicial branch, all of which operate independently of each other
Parliament contained an established House of Elders that included wise men from every clan at
Independence. This system was incorporated into the national governance structure by rebel leaders and
was meant as a power-sharing coalition among Somaliland’s main clans
– Each clan was represented proportionally, the allocations of which were determined by a formula
that left a lot of clans unsatisfied with their representation
– After several extensions of this interim government, Somaliland transitioned to a multi-party
democracy in 2002
– Three established parties maintain dominance in an attempt to create ideology-based elections
rather than clan-based elections
– Three parties are: United Peoples’ Democratic Party (UPDP), the Peace, Unity and Development
Party (PUDP) and the Justice and Development Party (JDP)
Somaliland constitution doesn’t allow for more than three parties, and parties are not allowed to be
defined by religion or clan. Each party does have loose clan affiliations
Separation of Powers
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Executive Branch
– Led by elected President, includes vice-President and a Council of Ministers
– Members of Council of Ministers are nominated by President and approved by Parliament’s
House of Representatives
– President must approve bills passed by Parliament before they come into effect
– President can serve a maximum of two five-year terms
Legislative Branch
– Bicameral Parliament – upper house consists of House of Elders (qabil legacy), lower house
consists of House of Representatives
• House of Elders – elected indirectly by local communities every six years, shares
powers in passing laws with House of Representatives, has role of solving internal
conflicts, possesses power of extending Presidential term if conditions exist that make
elections impossible
• House of Representatives – elected directly by people for five year terms, has absolute
power in financial matters and confirmation of Presidential appointments, also has
weak power over Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
– Divided into district courts, regional courts, regional appeals courts and the Supreme Court
Current Events – Border Disputes
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Somaliland continues to claim the entire area
formerly occupied by British
Currently formally in control of western half
of former British Somaliland
– Northeastern Maakhir declared itself a
separate, unrecognized, autonomous
state within Somalia in 2007
– Southeastern Sool state has been central
to disputes between Somaliland and
neighboring Puntland
Sool was under control of Puntland from
2003 to 2008
– Tensions between Puntland and
Somaliland have escalated into violence
several times during time period
– Late 2007 – Somaliland took control of
Sool’s capital, Las Anod
2010 – Northwestern Awdal region threatens
secession if Somaliland is recognized
internationally, forming “Awdal State”
– Does not recognize Somaliland
government’s claim to sovereignty
Current Events (cont.)
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The fourth round of talks between officials
from Somaliland and the SFG (Somalia
Federal Government) regarding Somaliland’s
independence have been postponed
– The SFG asked Turkish officials
mediating the discussion for
postponement to resolve other pressing
political and security issues
– Third round of talks ended in an
agreement between both parties
establishing bilateral control in the
management of Somalia national
airspace
– Group is based in the Somaliland city of
Hargeisa
Challenges to the “State”
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Article: “Some thoughts on the challenges facing Somaliland”
– “There is no interest for Somaliland to continue holding bilateral talks with Somalia… [The
Somalian President] needs to focus on his country and forget about Somaliland.”
– “Somalilanders should focus like a laser beam on moving their country forward and close
their eyes from the flirtations between Somalia and western donors.”
– “Domestically, Somaliland needs to employ the bottom up, grass roots process that served
the country so well in the past to straighten her electoral system.”
• “Any elite anywhere in the country who acts unethically during election time must
understand that he is destroying the country.”
– “Somaliland must remain very vigilant against terrorism.”
• “Even though Al Shabab is weaker today, still vigilance is the way to protect the lives
and properties of all as well as the progress of the country.”
– “Somalilanders need to rely upon their resources and expertise to develop their country.”
• “If they can pave a small of stretch roadway at a time, build a school, a clinic, a
business, and drill a well at a time, over time they will go a long way in developing their
country.”
– “To foster trade they need to keep maintaining good relations with their neighbors- Djibouti,
Ethiopia and Somalia.”
Bibliography
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Iman, Adan. "Some Thoughts on the Challenges Facing Somaliland." SomalilandPress, 2013.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://somalilandpress.com/some-thoughts-on-the-challengesfacing-somaliland-39494>.
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“Somalia" The World Factbook. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html>.
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"Somaliland Profile." BBC News. BBC, 13 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14115069>.
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"Somaliland." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaliland>.
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"U.S. Relations With Somalia." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, 16 Aug. 2013.
Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2863.htm>.