“The Horn of Africa Miracle” Somaliland is not recognized internationally yet, still advancing by leaps and bounds

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THT- Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, was originally scheduled to hold a presidential election in February, but in the end it did not appear as scheduled due to the current presidential term dispute, and even caused turmoil. Separate Somaliland will hold parliamentary elections in May, German weekly ” Der Spiegel pointed out that although Somaliland’s infrastructure still needs to be strengthened, compared with the failed Somalia, the development of Somaliland, which only relies on partial international assistance, has already advanced by leaps and bounds.

Somaliland and Somalia became independent from the United Kingdom and Italy in 1960, and then the two merged to form the Republic of Somalia, but the military dictator Siad Barre set off a civil war in the 1980s until the fall of power in early 1991. Originally the “Somali National Movement” (Somali National Movement, SNM) of the British Somaliland announced its separation from Somalia and has established itself as a nation.

Do not rely on foreign aid to make development better

Der Spiegel (Der Spiegel) quoted German journalists Marc Engelhardt and Bettine Rühl in their books as saying that compared to ending conflicts, international aid fuels conflicts. Is one of the important resources to be snatched.” The independence of Somaliland has not been recognized internationally, and it cannot directly obtain loans from the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On the contrary, it helps to build an aid system.

Due to the lack of international assistance, Somaliland negotiated with the people and businesses to seek financial support. “Foreign aid and foreign investment disappeared after the Civil War,” Guleid Ahmed Jama, founder of the Human Rights Center in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, told The Christian Science Monitor. On behalf of the people, they are responsible for building the country from the beginning. These are their money and investment.”

People’s trust is the key to success

However, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and other countries still provide Somalia aid resources to Somalia. However, the population of Somalia is about three times that of Somalia. For example, out of the 2 billion US dollars in aid to Somalia in 2018, Somalia only Get 150 million U.S. dollars. According to Der Spiegel, Somaliland relies on investment from the people and businesses, so it established a tax system very early to strengthen democracy and reduce corruption.

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Unlike other developing countries, Somaliland’s education, health, and social services are mainly carried out by aid agencies. Money and experience are factors for the smooth development of Somaliland, but Ahmed Dalal Farah, an economic expert at Hargeisa University, told Der Spiegel: “The people believe in this country. This is why they came back and invested here.”

Former foreign minister cultivates medical talents

Edna Adan Ismail, the 83-year-old former foreign minister of Somaliland, had long since retired from public office. She opened a hospital in 2002. The goal is to reduce the mortality of mothers and fetuses during delivery. It was built on the land of a garbage dump, which was an execution ground during the Barre period. Ismail set up a hospital in 1980, but when the civil war broke out, she had no choice but to flee her home.

The Taiwanese Technical Mission in Somaliland was unveiled by Taiwan Representative Luo Zhenhua (left) and Somaliland’s Acting Foreign Minister Osman (provided by the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland)
The Taiwanese Technical Mission in Somaliland was unveiled by Taiwan Representative Luo Zhenhua (left) and Somaliland’s Acting Foreign Minister Osman (provided by the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland)

There was no international aid for the funds for opening a hospital after Ismail, mainly from donations from Somalilanders living in exile. She also sold the original Mercedes and Toyota cars, invested the money in this project, and switched to Indian cars. Tata” (Tata). “Der Spiegel” stated that Ismail is now living in a small apartment on the first floor of the hospital, and all the necessities that she does not need are handed over to the hospital.

Taiwan assists in improving health functions

In order to cultivate relevant talents, Ismail also set up a university next to the hospital. The first batch of graduates have been stationed in the hospital as physicians. Since the establishment of the hospital, hundreds of midwives have been trained. Somaliland, who is on the road of development, has a relaxed and slow pace of life, but Ismail emphasized, “I don’t have much time, I want to move faster.” She is working on the goal, in addition to cultivating thousands of midwives, but also to open agriculture school. 

(Related report: “If there is no independence, the precious relics will be extinct!” Somaliland calls on the international community to recognize the murals in its territory for thousands of years  

In addition, my country’s representative office in Somaliland was officially inaugurated in August 2020. The foreign ministers of both sides signed the “Technical Cooperation Agreement” in different places, and the “Technical Mission in Somaliland” was established by the Chinese Foundation for International Cooperation and Development (CCICED). The “Enforcement Agreement for the Maternal and Infant Health Function Improvement Program” was signed in October, and the representative office of our country emphasized that the medical and health field is a “flagship-level” cooperation project between Taiwan and Somaliland.

Source: https://www.storm.mg/article/3523604

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