Analysis

Professor Iqbal Jhazbahay of South Africa used to call Somaliland “ Africa’s best kept secret.” Later, as more and more people came to know about the country and its ability to survive against great odds, the professor changed his description of Somaliland to “ Africa’s best kept secret, no more.” It looks like this trend, of major institutions and important personalities around the world calling attention to Somaliland, is continuing. The latest in this regard was The Washington Post which in an editorial (Oct.18, 2006) called for the United States to grant diplomatic recognition to Somaliland. Before that, both the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Times had written favorable editorials about Somaliland.

The Somaliland Times asked Somaliland’s representative in the United States, Dr Saad Noor, to shed some light on this trend, and he replied, "The Washington Post's recommendation to the Bush administration to extend diplomatic recognition to Somaliland was a long awaited diplomatic victory, indeed a breath of fresh air that came at the right time. It is, no doubt a product of events and activities on the part of many, including the Somaliland government, diaspora and the U.S. Africa diplomatic/academic constituency. As such, active engagement with Somaliland-not excluding full self-determination-is no more a taboo in Washington's corridors of power."