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When discussing the obstacles
standing in the way of Somaliland’s diplomatic recognition,
Somalilanders often focus on external factors. Of these factors, the
ones that are cited the most are: the unsympathetic position of
countries such as Egypt and Italy, the erroneous perception by some
African countries that Somaliland’s recognition would be tantamount to
changing the colonial borders (actually since Somaliland’s borders with
Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia were mapped by colonial authorities,
Somaliland’s recognition would be consistent with keeping colonial
borders intact), the inadequate support by Britain (Somaliland’s former
colonial ruler and the most sympathetic country to Somaliland’s cause),
Ethiopia’s desire to keep its Somali options open, and the ambivalence
of the United States.
To the extent that Somalilanders give attention to internal factors,
which is usually done as an after thought, the issues that are mostly
mentioned are the lack of financial resources to wage a big recognition
campaign, the shortage of indigenous skilled foreign policy
professionals who could spearhead such a campaign, and the lack of
natural resources that could act as an incentive for countries to
recognize Somaliland.
We agree that these are important external and internal factors that
have hobbled Somaliland’s search for recognition. But we think the list
misses some crucial impediments to recognition that have little to do
with money, resources, or geopolitics, and that is the attitude of many
educated Somalilanders, their mental and work habits, which is
characterized by lack of preparation and expecting great results from
little work. To give an idea of what we mean we will cite two examples.
The first one is the recent foreign affairs subcommittee hearing.
Judging by published reports in the news media about what transpired in
that hearing, it is clear that members of the subcommittee were clearly
unprepared, and either had no idea what their job as an oversight
committee entails, or were plain uninterested in the most basic issues
that they are supposed to cover. The subcommittee members hardly asked
the foreign minister any questions about the lack of structure and
division of labor in his ministry. They did not ask about the quality of
the staff in the ministry. They did not ask about the relegation of the
ministry into a personal fiefdom by the minister. They did not ask about
the ministry’s functioning in an intellectual vacuum without analyses or
reports that delineate strategic assessments, policy options or future
plans. The subcommittee members did not educate themselves on foreign
policy issues even though many of them have been on the committee for
quite some time. The only question that the subcommittee members were
interested in was why they were not included on trips to foreign
countries. The foreign minister of course quickly figured out what was
really driving them and promised to include them in his next forays
abroad and they were mighty pleased and quickly shut up. Instead of
exercising its oversight role or articulating ideas on foreign policy,
the subcommittee was nakedly trying to advantage of the situation. How
disgraceful!
The second example that shows the problem with Somaliland’s educated
elite that hampers the country’s recognition has to do with the recent
meeting in Mansoor hotel that was organized by the Somaliland Forum. Let
us state from the outset that the Somaliland Forum has a long record of
contributing Somaliland materially, morally and intellectually. That
said, the meeting it held in Hargeysa shows worrying signs that it, too,
is suffering from lack of preparation and focus. This was clear from the
list of about forty invitees to the meeting, many of whom have not made
any significant contribution to Somaliland’s recognition that at least
we know of. The only qualification that many of the invitees seem to
have had is that they were college graduates. Of course, attracting
Somaliland’s educated people to participate in foreign policy
discussions is commendable, but to present people who have no foreign
policy experience and no track record for either writing about, or
lobbying for Somaliland recognition, shows the same amateurish and
lackadaisical approach to foreign policy that has bedeviled Somaliland’s
foreign ministry. The only exception in the Somaliland Forum’s meeting
was the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Abdirahman Muhammad Abdillahi (irro),
who shared with the audience parliament efforts to advance Somaliland’s
recognition. Since this was only a preparatory meeting, let us hope that
Somaliland Forum will correct its mistaken approach and present people
with real contributions to Somaliland recognition or foreign policy
experience.
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