The issue of Somaliland’s ‘statehood’.
1. Introduction

Within today’s Global community when an exacting area or populace seeks partition from its body federation or mother state this particular political development is known as “secession”. In this Essay I will be discussing the domestic secession which occurred between the already failing state of Somalia and the populace of Somaliland. Secondly I will also be providing a brief history and description behind the ‘defacto’ state that is today known as Somaliland. Thirdly I will be elaborating on the issue of Somaliland’s statehood, followed by a brief definition regarding what defines a state. I will then end conclude this discussion with my opinion regarding this quandary.
2. Somaliland, declaring Statehood
According to Renders and Terlinda (2010,p.723)although Somaliland declared statehood on the 18 May 1991 by extracting itself from the already collapsing Somalia as a result of its poor living conditions it is still unrecognised by the international community as a State(Hole 2000,p.81).Even though Somaliland is an unrecognised state evidence suggests that Somalia’s demise is a veracity, this can be noted as almost no development with regard to monetary and or ecological conditions has taken place within the state for the past ten years(Hole 2000,p.83).
Within the state of Somalia there is no observable or visible police force, judiciary system, civil service in addition to virtually no infrastructure within the government headquarters with regard building communication facilities and office equipment(Hole 2000.p.89).It as a result of this truth that in 1999 the United Nations secretary declared that the country of Somalia possessed none of the attributes which enabled it to be recognize as a state by the international community and United Nations(Hole 2000,p.90). Hence fourth as a result it is now recognized as ‘failed state’ by not only the United Nations but various political leaders and statesmen(Hole 200,p.91).This does however beg the question if a particular government can recognize Somalia as a failed state then why can’t the global community recognize Somaliland as a state?
3. A brief history behind Somalia and Somaliland
The Somalis are a collection of indigenous people who have inhabited the region of central Africa also referred to as the, ‘Horn of Africa’ for over a century, however regardless of this fact for the past millennia the state of Somalia has been a country devoid of concord opulence (Carroll 1993, p.654).The former north western part of Somalia formerly known as the British Somaliland during the colonial periods encompasses an area of approximately 68,000 square miles (Hole 2000, p.80).
At independence Somalia officially known as the Somali republic after its union with the ‘South Italian Somaliland’ and ‘North British Somaliland’, became regarded as one of the most promising African countries and least likely to fall into the status of “Failed State”, due to the newly formed states potential regarding mixed colonial influences(Lalos 2011,p.783).Nevertheless tension began to occur between the two newly united groups as a result of indifference’s regarding not only political views but internal agenda’s(Lalos 2011 ,p.783).
This tension not only created internal political issues but lead to the emergence of a civil war between the ‘North’ and ‘South’ parts of Somalia, yet through the ashes of a conflicted government and precedent civil war, rosé the ‘defacto’ state known today as Somaliland(Lalos 2011,p.784).However regardless of its upcoming challenges Somaliland was able to acquire all political, ecological and social aspects of what was required to be recognised as a state by the United Nations(Renders and Telinda 2010,p.724).
4. Does Somaliland qualify for Statehood?
Under international law a state or any federation seeking statehood must possess a permanent populace, defined territory in addition to a government or management with the ability to engage foreign relations(Kreuter 2008,p.365).The need for a permanent populace and territory provide a physical bases for the state’s exsistence,whilst the government and intercontinental relations provide legal proof that the state can function within the international community(Hole 2000,p.83).It has however been argued by many that Somaliland fulfils the criteria for statehood as it has a defined territory, a fixed population of people mainly but not limited to the people of the Issaq clan in addition to a single effective government with no competing existing authority(Hole 2000,p.80–85).
The newly declared state of Somaliland does however exist under special circumstances as a result of the fact that the collapse of Somalia meant the collapse of territory which was now claimed by Somaliland in 1991(Renders and Talina 2010,p.726).
nonetheless in the eyes of both the OAU and global community Somaliland is still recognised as a part of Somalia (Hole 2000, p.85–86).This is as a result of the fact that a secession in Somaliland would violate the integrity of the of the state known as Somalia, consequently although the United Nations acknowledges the right to self determination the ‘UN Charter’ guarantees territorial integrity to each of its individual member states (Hole 2000, p.87–88). in addition to the fact that the OAU doctrine seeks to preserve borders and not aims of self-determination (Carol 1993, p.667).As a result of this veracity member states are obliged to hold up the integrity of Somalia (Hole 2000, p.85–88).On a similar note from a psychological perspective there is relative question regarding why the international community would be willing to absorb another state since the conclusion of the Second world war (Hole 2000, p.88–92).
5. Somaliland today
The fact that this issue remains unresolved after nearly 24 years is a reflection at a continental level of Somaliland’s inability to meet the criteria set by the African union(Clapham 2015,p.1).However regardless of this actuality the reality around this issue remains the fact that Somaliland has been unable to find any allies prepared to not only subsidise but support its claim towards independence and sovereignty through an act of recognition that would confront the international community(Clapham 2015,p.2).The local hegemony Ethiopia has conversely been sympathetic with regards to Somaliland’s claim but are inhibited to act through both its historical relationship with the Somali people in addition to its position as the headquarter state of the African Union which makes it unwilling to intervene in a continental consensus(Clapham 2015,p.2).
6. Conclusion
Hence fourth in my conclusion I believe that the ‘defacto’ state of Somaliland does indeed qualify to be recognised as a state which has been able to achieve statehood. Somaliland was able to achieve all attributes of what enables an area or populace living in a particular territory to not only achieve the mantle of statehood but grant the people of that particular country freedom and independence. Violent political dilemmas, harsh living conditions in addition to conflict has gripped the ‘Horn of Africa’ since the end 1990(Carrol 1993, p.654).For a particular area or state to have a past filled with immeasurable pain and suffering emerge to obtain the characteristics of statehood in my opinion not only qualifies Somaliland to not only receive the title of a state but gain a position amongst our world leaders.
7. Reference List
Carrol, Anthony J. “The Case For The Independent Statehood Of Somaliland”. International Review law 8.2 (1993): 654–681. Print.
Hole, Peggy. “SOMALILAND: PASSING THE STATEHOOD TEST?”. Articles Section (2000): 80–92. Print.
Kreuter, Aaron. “Self-Determination, Sovereignty, And The Failure Of States: Somaliland And The Case For Justified Secession”. MINNESOTA JOURNAL OF INT’L LAW 9:2 (2011): 363–397. Print.
Lalos, Dimitrios. “Between Statehood And Somalia: Reflections Of Somaliland Statehood”. Washington Global studies review 10.4 (2017): 788–913. Print.
Renders, Marleen, and Ulf Terlinden. “Negotiating Statehood In A Hybrid Political Order: The Case Of Somaliland”. Development and Change 41.4 (2010): 723–746. Web.
