A History of Violence and Unfinished Hostility
In January, Somalia’s defense minister, seemingly intoxicated by political ambition, made a provocative request to Saudi Arabia for military intervention against Somaliland. This call mirrored past Somali actions against its breakaway region, invoking a painful history familiar to the people of Somaliland. It wasn’t just careless rhetoric; it was a stark reminder of a brutal legacy.
The roots of this hostility trace back to 1988, when warplanes from Mogadishu indiscriminately bombed Hargeisa and Burao, targeting unarmed civilians whom the state was meant to protect. The devastation was staggering: tens of thousands were killed or displaced, cities were left in ruins, and the trust in the Somali state crumbled. This tragic history is central to Somaliland’s quest for autonomy and its efforts to rebuild itself outside Mogadishu’s authority.
Fast-forward to today, and while Somalia may lack the military capacity to replicate such actions, the underlying intent appears unchanged. The defense minister’s recent statements illustrate a persistent animosity and a willingness to resort to violence in lieu of political leverage. For the people in Somaliland, their cautious stance towards Mogadishu is not just ideological; it is deeply historical.
A Failed State’s Obsession with What It Does Not Control
For over 15 years, hostility towards Somaliland has been embedded in the fabric of Somalia’s fragmented state. Despite having exerted no governance, legal authority, or territorial control over Somaliland since 1991, Mogadishu continues to frame the issue as one of legality and national integrity. Much of the international community has passively accepted this misleading narrative, neglecting the empirical realities on the ground.
Recent developments have intensified this hostility. Following Israel’s official recognition of Somaliland—marking it as the first UN member state to do so—Mogadishu’s reaction has been particularly hostile. This recognition unearthed a historical truth: in 1960, over 30 countries, including Israel, recognized Somaliland as an independent state. Instead of leveraging this historical precedent, or acknowledging Somaliland’s 34-year record of peace and self-governance, Mogadishu has steadfastly sought to undermine this diplomatic breakthrough.
This dismissal reveals two significant failures. The first is Somalia’s internal governance, which has long been distracted by issues such as terrorism, corruption, and institutional collapse. The second is a broader global hypocrisy, where legitimate efforts undertaken by Somaliland are ignored, while Somalia is still falsely treated as though it represents authority and unity, despite decades of dysfunction.
Recognition, Visibility, and the Fear of Comparison
This leads us to a critical question: how did Somaliland’s landmark diplomatic victory—its recognition by Israel—transform into Somalia’s most significant political dilemma?
The answer lies not merely in diplomacy but in visibility. For 34 years, Somalia has been widely recognized as a failed state plagued by corruption, terrorism, and internal conflict. Groups such as Al-Shabaab, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS exploit this environment, while piracy and ongoing violence shape its global image. The prolonged instability has become not just a crisis but a managed political economy, raising uncomfortable questions about how a society can remain in such dire circumstances for over four decades. What went fundamentally wrong, and why has there been no corrective action?
Contrastingly, history offers examples of resurgence. Take Rwanda, which emerged from genocide in 1994 to become one of Africa’s most stable and rapidly developing nations. The difference lay not in the passage of time, but in leadership, accountability, and a break from a legacy of political decay.
Today, Somalia’s greatest anxiety is not tied to terrorism or imminent collapse—those crises have become normalized. Rather, it is a fear of comparison. Somaliland’s recent recognition has prompted the world to examine two distinct realities within the Somali context. On one side is Mogadishu: a landscape marked by chronic dysfunction, coerced protests, and symbolic outrage, including demonstrations in which impoverished civilians were pressured to engage in anti-Israeli sentiment. On the other side stands Somaliland: a beacon of peace, competitive elections, multiparty politics, and civil liberties, pursuing partnerships with nations like Taiwan, the UAE, and now Israel, while seeking to integrate into the global community responsibly.
Unlike Somalia’s aid-dependent economy, Somaliland has charted a course for collaboration, restoring dignity and credibility to a Somali polity long associated with collapse. For decades, Somalia’s political elites have monetized the symbolism of statehood while presiding over failure; Somaliland’s trajectory presents a potent challenge to that narrative.
It is this stark contrast—not merely the act of recognition—that has transformed Somaliland’s diplomatic gains into a profound source of concern for Somalia. The pressing question for the international community is whether it will align its policies with the realities on the ground, supporting stability and effective governance instead of perpetuating a cycle of institutional failure.
Mahdi Ismail Abokor was born in Hargeisa, Somaliland. He holds two Master’s degrees: an MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York, UK, and an MA in Peace and Conflict Studies from Mekelle University, Ethiopia. He has served in senior public and political roles, including District Commissioner, member of the UCID political party, and Director of Planning at Hargeisa Local Government. He has also lectured at Golis University and New Generation University. A published writer and author of a guide on winning the Chevening Scholarship, Mahdi is a Chevening Scholar and a political analyst of the Horn of Africa, specializing in peace, security, and human rights.
