Americans like underdogs, especially when they are feisty, self-reliant, and stand up to bullies. I\u2019ve just had the delight of visiting such a place: the self-declared, independent Republic of Somaliland \u2013 situated on one of the most strategic pieces of real estate on earth. (Don\u2019t think \u201cSomalia\u201d \u2013 the disastrous place of Blackhawk Down \u2013 which is right next door on the east but infinitely distant in attitude and success.) Landing in Hargeisa, the capital, reminds one of West Texas, and sure enough the 25-mph wind hits you upon exiting the plane, although there are acacias instead of mesquites and camels in place of the cattle.<\/p>\n
Somaliland\u2019s self-declared independence is also very Texas-like. The Oklahoma-sized nation with 7 million people was a British colony, unlike Italian-controlled Somalia, and it actually gained independence first in 1960. That same year it voluntarily joined together with the other Somalia to form a federation. The union was a disaster, as Somalia came under a ruthless dictator who tried to destroy the feisty Somalilanders, including inflicting thousands of deaths by bombing Hargeisa. In 1991, during the chaos which followed the Somali Civil War, Somaliland split from the federation and declared independence with a 97% vote in support from its people. Since then, the nation has thrived under a robust democracy, an open capitalist economy, and an industrious people who are adamant about protecting their independence. And they have done it on their own, without receiving any of the billions of dollars in foreign aid which has been showered on the rest of Africa.<\/p>\n
What Somaliland doesn\u2019t have is international recognition. Much like Taiwan \u2013 with whom they do have relations (another factor in their favor) \u2013 Somaliland is a victim of geopolitical \u201crealities.\u201d Next door Somalia, a failed state in every respect, despite receiving incredible international financial support (including about $500 million annually from the US) and military assistance, is apoplectic over Somaliland\u2019s existence and insists upon claiming it as its own, much like Mexico did with Texas. The African Union (AU), with its aged autocrats, is loath to recognize the country lest its democratic values and self-reliance proves infectious to some of its member states with their own rebellious regions. And the US, not wanting to alienate the AU, also supports a \u201cone Somalia\u201d policy (much like our \u201cOne China\u201d policy) which views the fiction that Somaliland is part of Somalia.<\/p>\n
This is nonsense for a variety of reasons. Our policy started troubling me when I was Ambassador to Ethiopia in 2001 and met Somaliland\u2019s first President shortly after the 9\/11 terrorist attacks. President Egal voiced his support for us and wanted to cooperate on anti-terrorism. I had to say \u201cno\u201d \u2013 for the bizarre reason that Somaliland was highly successful in providing for its own security so the US would not engage, even though the country certainly could have benefited from our advanced training. Today, parts of our government want to end the \u201cOne Somalia\u201d policy, with the Pentagon most especially eager to engage further with Somaliland. Given the nation\u2019s 500-mile coast along the vital Red Sea \u2013 with so much of the world\u2019s shipping passing by \u2013 plus a new container port being financed with a $500 Million<\/p>\n
investment from United Arab Emirates DP-World and Britain\u2019s international development agency, it\u2019s an ideal locale for possible US military contingencies. The port city, Berbera, also has a new airport with a 3-mile-long runway. This, combined with the nation\u2019s peace, stability, and strong pro-US stance, and its anti-Communist Chinese sentiments, make it an ideal US partner. Meanwhile, our poor Ambassador to Somalia \u2013 an experienced Africanist on his third ambassadorship \u2013 is limited to living and working at Mogadishu airport while the al-Qaeda affiliated al Shabab terrorists continue to dominate the country and extend their control, as the Taliban did in Afghanistan. If anything, conditions in Somalia will worsen under successive governments dominated by corruption and controlled by hapless and venal elites, yet the US continues to support them with our taxpayer\u2019s money.<\/p>\n
There are also members of Congress sympathetic to Somaliland who want to see a change in US policy \u2013 but this is unlikely with the current administration and the current US Department of State leadership. So maybe, just maybe, if a new administration wins our next Presidential elections, Somaliland\u2019s dream of being a fully recognized member of the community of nations will become reality. Meanwhile, \u201cthe little country that can\u201d goes on moving forward with the most Texas-like attitude I\u2019ve found anywhere in Africa.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Tibor Nagy was most recently Assistant Secretary of State for Africa after serving as Texas Tech\u2019s Vice Provost for International Affairs and a 30-year career as a US Diplomat. Follow him on Twitter @TiborPNagyJr<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n