Somaliland Monitor

By Abdiqani Muse Hassan The Big Question? In the recent months, the United States has been engaging with Somaliland with the aim to join forces in the fight against terrorism and piracy. However, given the global trend of decreasing piracy and terrorist threats, it raises the question of whether these two issues are the sole reason for the US’ engagement with Somaliland, or if there are…

Somaliland Can Help the U.S. Win the New Cold War

By recognizing Somaliland, America can reduce its reliance on Djibouti and strengthen its position in the critical East Africa region. By Alexander Jelloian China is making too many friends. Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have shown that they are willing to spend hundreds of billions of dollars in developing countries, causing many nations to deepen their relations with China—a…

China Fumes Over Somaliland’s Warm Ties With Taiwan

Shortly after a fire destroyed the biggest market in this independence-minded region of Somalia, a senior Chinese diplomat asked permission to visit to pay his respects. Fei Shengchao, Beijing’s ambassador to Somalia, told Somaliland authorities he wanted to discuss how China could help mitigate the impact of the disaster, which devastated the local economy, and aid victims of Covid-19 and the…

Former Al-Shabab Commander Named to Somali Cabinet

Somalia’s prime minister has appointed the former deputy leader of the al-Shabab militant group, Mukhtar Robow, to the cabinet as minister for endowment and religious affairs. Robow, also known as Abu Mansour, was in the Somali presidential palace Tuesday as Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre unveiled his new cabinet. The stunning development came a day after Robow was released from the headquarters…

Acute Food Crisis Looms in Somaliland, Resulting from the War in Ukraine

The double impact of the worst drought in 40 years and Russia’s war in Ukraine is having a devastating effect in the Horn of Africa. The war may be thousands of miles away, but it’s pushing up the prices of grain and fuel to unprecedented levels.

SPARK Supports Somalia/Somaliland Economy to Recover from COVID-19

Press Release Somalis have experienced years of struggle, climate shocks and disease outbreaks in recent years. COVID-19 has worsened the situation as well, with up to 20 percent of Somalia/Somaliland’s population expected to suffer from direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic. According to officials, There is widespread unemployment in Somalia/Somaliland with approximately 49% of the…

Ethiopia Arrests 34 Al-Shabaab Members Planning Attacks in Addis Ababa

The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) disclosed that it has apprehended 34 Al-Shabaab members who were making preparations to carry out a terrorist attack in Addis Ababa and various parts of the country. The suspects were arrested in operations carried out in collaboration with Somali and Oromia regional state’s security forces, it was learned. The statement added that the…

Somaliland Fire Leaves Traders Penniless and Market Destroyed

By Mohammed Omer Three weeks ago, Amina Mahmud was a successful businesswoman running a butcher’s shop selling camel meat and a thriving homewares store in Somaliland’s commercial hub, Waheen market. Trade was good. The 41-year-old earned more than $2,700 a month, enough to raise seven children single-handed and win the respect of her community over two decades of graft in the capital of…

Somaliland’s President Makes Pitch for Recognition in Washington

Washington (Somaliland Monitor) -The president of the republic of Somaliland has urged the international community to recognize his territory’s quest for independence, saying negotiations with Somalia had failed. Muse Bihi Abdi charged that in a decade of talks “Somalia has demonstrated a complete lack of interest in meaningful dialogue,” forcing Somaliland to press ahead with its quest for…

Somaliland-Taiwan Economic Cooperation: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects

By Abdiqani Muse Hassan In 2020, the Republic of Somaliland and the Republic of China (Taiwan) formed diplomatic relations and established representative offices in the respective capitals. Since then, the two countries have started technical assistance projects in agriculture, information technology, and medical sectors, nevertheless, the economic cooperation has yet to get momentum. The…

Somaliland Pitches ‘Huge’ Oil and Gas Potential During Taiwan Trip

Somaliland has “huge” investment potential in untapped oil and gas reserves, the foreign minister of Somalia’s breakaway region told Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday, pitching investment opportunities on a high-profile visit. Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained widespread international recognition for its independence. The region has been mostly peaceful while…

Somaliland Delegation Visits Taiwan

Taiwan and Somaliland agreed to establish mutual representative offices in 2020 TAIPEI (Somaliland Monitor) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Monday (Feb. 7) via a press release that it welcomed the visit by a Republic of Somaliland delegation led by its Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Dr. Essa Kayd Mohamoud at the invitation of the Taiwanese…

The Republic of Somaliland entered the New Year, 2022 a period of constitutional ambiguity, stemming from an announcement made by the minister of information Mr. Koore during ceremonial speech saying that the terms of the existing political parties and licenses are about to expire in December, 2022 according to the Somaliland constitution. When the constitutionality of this came forth in the…

Somaliland Offers to Resist Growing Chinese Influence in Africa as it Seeks US Recognition

The self-declared state of Somaliland is seeking US recognition as it pitches itself as a counterweight to Chinese influence in the Horn of Africa. There have been growing calls for Washington to set up a representative office in Somaliland, which welcomed a congressional staff delegation to its capital Hargeisa in mid-December. Diplomats and observers have said that in return for opening a…

Somalia Government Spokesman Wounded in Blast in Capital

A suicide bomber is believed to have targeted Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, who was rushed to hospital. Somalia’s government spokesperson was wounded in an explosion in the capital in a suspected suicide bomber attack, state-run media reported. A photographer at the scene of the blast on Sunday reported seeing body parts lying on the ground outside the house of Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, who was…

Al-Shabab Fears Somalia’s Military Court, Judge Says

Al-Shabab militants relentlessly carry out attacks in Somalia, such as Wednesday’s suicide car bombing in Mogadishu that killed at least 10 people. The group claimed responsibility for the assault on a security caravan. When the group is not staging direct attacks, it uses intimidation to collect “zakat,” or taxes, and fees from Somali businesses to finance its operations. The violent group,…

SOMALILAND: Government Opens Political Associations, Opposition Lambasts Move

By Edwin Haroldson  Amid a protracted tug-of-war between the government and opposition elements revolving around Act 14/2021 on Political Parties and Associations, the government made an unexpected turnabout Sunday declaring political associations can be registered for upcoming presidential election next year. “Political associations are open for anyone, any group taking a shot at expected…