‘Somaliland needs recognition for the stability it has created’
SOMALILANDERS are proud of their homeland and consider it wholly unjust that after their successful efforts to create a properly functioning democracy in a continent that has experienced more than its fair share of tyranny and corruption, it remains unrecognised as an independent state.
Dr Essa Kayd, who was appointed Foreign Minister in September, hopes to change that.
As part of a renewed campaign for recognition, he spoke to the Western Mail from Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa.
Explaining what it would mean for ordinary Somalilanders, he said: “Above everything else, recognition would be the right of every Somalilander to have his or her true identity as an individual. Somalilanders would also be responsible for the consequences of their actions rather than being burdened with the deeds of those in Somalia who cause Somalilanders to be accused of the lawlessness, terrorism and piracy acts that are unknown in Somaliland but which Somalia is famous for.”
Asked how two neighbouring countries could be so different, with Somaliland having achieved political stability while Somalia remains a basket case on many levels, Dr Kayd said: “We belong to totally different clans, backgrounds and colonial history.
“Somalilanders have spent their own money and used their own traditional conflict resolution mechanism to bring about peace and stability to Somaliland.
“On the other hand, Somalia gains from the state of lawlessness that exists there for the past 30-plus
Around 8,000 people living in Wales have their origins in the north-east African country of Somaliland, a former British colony which broke away from the failed state of Somalia following the overthrow of a dictator 30 years ago. Despite receiving much praise for the democratic institutions it has built, Somaliland remains unrecognised by the international community. Its recently appointed Foreign Minister, Dr Essa Kayd, spoke to political editor-at-large Martin Shipton
years.
“They are happy to maintain that state of lawlessness which has turned out to be the most profitable industry that Somalia has.
“Somalilanders are unanimous in their ambition to keep Somaliland peaceful, stable, and to keep it that way forever in order to continue to bring our people back from the diaspora, and to encourage a climate that is conducive for others to do legitimate and profitable business with us.
“Somalilanders are also united in their view that re-unification with the failed state of Somalia will never happen, even at the cost of our political recognition.
“We would rather remain unrecognised but as peaceful and stable as we are, rather than to become recognised and become as lawless and as confused as Somalia is.”
Women are being encouraged to become more involved in politics, although the recent elections failed to see any elected to Parliament.
Statistics released last month by the University of Hargeisa nevertheless showed there were more young women (1,980) sitting its admission exams than men (945).
Dr Kayd said: “While there are only three women in the Cabinet and none in our Parliament, the Constitution of Somaliland gives every Somalilander equal rights.
“Women have the right to vote and to be elected. Sadly, even when there were 19 women who were candidates in the election, none received sufficient votes to gain a seat in our current Parliament.
“This is a sad situation that is a legacy of our old traditional male-dominated political structure.
“We are confident that with the added determination of women, as well as with the positive support of the government of Somaliland, future female candidates will hopefully gain better representation in the decision-making bodies of Somaliland.
“On the other hand, women engage in over 40% of small businesses and also have equal access to co-educational schooling together with boys.”
Dr Kayd said the nation’s diaspora “could play a very important role if they could be better organised like those from Somalia who are very adamant in opposing the recognition of Somaliland”.
Asked how Britain was perceived in Somaliland as the former colonial power, the Foreign Minister said: “While Italy, the former coloniser of Somalia, strongly supports Somalia and gives it a voice and representation in all international venues, we feel that Britain has not given Somaliland a support that matches that of Italy towards Somalia.
“At the very least, we expected that Britain would help us protect the name of ‘Somaliland’, which was the name that Britain gave to us in 1884.
“Sadly, even the BBC World Service, which is totally staffed by people from Somalia whose Somali dialect is at times difficult to understand, refers to Somaliland as a self-named country.
“Somalilanders gave their lives in two world wars as British Somalilanders to protect the interests of Britain. Now we need Britain to protect Somalilanders in our self-determination which is our right to have.”
Dr Kayd said the people of Somaliland were “proud” of Somalilander Nadifa Mohamed, whose novel The Fortune Man, about the unjust murder conviction and execution of Somalilander Mahmood Hassan in 1950s Cardiff, was shortlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize.
He said: “Of course we are aware, and this makes us proud.
“We also have the autobiography of our first female Foreign Minister, Edna Adan Ismail, published by Harper Collins UK, A Woman Of Firsts, that won the Shelter Box Prize and was translated into several European languages.
“Somalilanders settled in Wales before anywhere else in the British Isles because Cardiff was the coalexporting capital of the world.
“We look for that close relationship to be maintained and look for support, both moral and material, from both the Welsh and the Somalilanders who have settled there.
“Please give us the platform and the opportunity to plead our case.
“Please give us the moral support as well as the legal advice that we need to reclaim the sovereignty that was granted to us on June 26, 1960, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
Dr Kayd had to postpone our interview from when it was first arranged because of a Cabinet meeting called by Somaliland’s President to discuss the possible break-up of its neighbour, Ethiopia.
Somaliland has not had a major terrorist incident since 2008 because of the vigilance of its population, who inform the police if there is any hint of infiltration from Somalia.
“People remember the brutality that took place during the civil war decades ago and don’t want to see a return to that,” he said. “We believe we deserve to be rewarded for the stability we have created.
“With the help of Wales and the rest of the UK we hope recognition will be achieved.”