Somaliland President’s visit to the UAE: a small step with big meaning

EDITORIAL

In isolation, the visit of Somaliland’s President Dahir Rayale Kahin to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would seem to be a minor event. For one thing, the visit was unofficial. Second, it was not even mentioned by the United Arab Emirates’ media. But when you consider all the efforts that Arab countries have exerted, for the last seventeen years, in trying to isolate Somaliland, this small event takes a bigger significance. If nothing else, it is a tacit admission on the part of the UAE’s rulers, or by some members of the UAE’s ruling elite, that the policy of isolating Somaliland has not worked, and perhaps it is time to try something different.

There are several factors which support the perception that President Kahin’s visit may be signaling a change in the UAE’s policy toward Somaliland:

This favorable international context definitely adds to the importance of the visit.

So, on the face of it, the president’s visit to the UAE may seem a small step, but it is worthwhile to remember that in the world of international diplomacy, small steps may lead to big results. America’s “Ping-Pong diplomacy” with China, and Kissinger’s subsequent secret visit to Beijing, which eventually led to the opening to China, is a good example.

Source: Somaliland Times

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