Could Somaliland be the world's newest country?

Your Saturday deep dive

Hello everyone,

Somalia has a reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous places. Sadly, that’s true. As often covered in Proximities, the government is locked in a war with the al-Shabab armed group and it’s a war that shows no sign of going away any time soon. Insecurity is rife, civilians are often killed in attacks, and much of the population suffers from extreme poverty and food insecurity.

I’ve been only once, crossing in from the border with Kenya to report on the 2011 famine. It would have been good to go again but my employers usually deemed it too risky. I hope, though, that I get to go back some time in the future, even just as a tourist. It’s a country with a proud and storied past and it has the potential for a successful future if peace can be achieved.

There’s another place, though, which already enjoys that peace and success but suffers from a misconception that it is just like Somalia. That place is Somaliland, and it borders Somalia — or is part of Somalia, depending on who you speak to.

It’s most often described as “a breakaway region,” but over the last few decades, it has developed all the hallmarks of an independent nation.

So, what is Somaliland all about? And why are there growing calls for it to be formally recognized as the world’s newest country?

Let’s jump into a Q&A.

Until next Saturday,

Barry.

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Set this up for me. Is Somaliland a country or not?

It’s complicated. There is not a single nation on the planet that recognizes it as independent. Neither does the United Nations or any major international body.

Essentially, it’s considered part of Somalia and Somalia wants to keep it that way.

There you go. Slam dunk. Not a country.

But, not so fast. It’s all but been operating as an independent nation since 1991. It has a government, it has representatives overseas, it has a growing economy, it is largely at peace and it has held six successful and democratic elections.

Not only that, but it has informal ties with Canada, the US, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Taiwan, and several of those countries have representatives in its capital Hargeisa. So while there are no formal diplomatic relations, there are relationships and they are growing closer all the time.

You said there are growing calls for it to be formally recognized?

Yes, this is where it gets interesting and there are thorny geopolitics at play.