Somalilandsun: It is important we make the right decision for our country in the face of a new cold war pitting Russia and China against the Western democracies.
This advice was proffered by former Somaliland envoy to the east and horn Africa regional body IGAD Ambassador Adan Muse Jibril during an interview with Saab TV which touched on issues pertaining to the country’s 30 years quest for international recognition, her relations with Taiwan and the resurged but covert cold war.
On the issue of the three decades quest for recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign nation Amb Jibril said that there are a number of statuses that the international community assesses as condition for nationhood.
“These conditions are 1. Does the applicant have total control of the entire territory, 2. Is the citizenry united, peaceful co-existence, and 3 Is the national cake shared equally and at all level as pertains to decision making positions in government and politics” said the diplomat adding that though Somaliland fulfilled all these conditions and more long ago most of endeavours have been concentrated on availing public services to all corners of the country.
Terming the strategy to avail good governance to the whole country has been an uphill task due to non-recognition thence the absence of bilateral support and access to international bodies like the IMF, AfDB and World Bank the greatest constrain has been politically motivated by outside forces with an interest in ensuring that recognition never happens.
On the diplomatic relations between Somaliland and Taiwan that became public a few days ago, Amb Jibril first informed that though revealati0ons came to the fore a short while back, the association of Taipei and Hargeisa is 20 years old.
Said he, “As a pointer of these lengthily relations many Somaliland students have studied in Taiwan with full scholarships from that government” adding that the friendship is all term one that has come to full and public fruition now.
Both Taiwan and Somaliland have appointed respective diplomatic representatives to be permanently stationed in Taipei and Hargeisa
On the Taiwanese move Amb Jibril said that it is important that citizens are very clear on what they want for Somaliland not only in the short term but in the long term as well.
“For now we have taken sides in the global arena by choosing Taiwan as our bosom mate meaning that we have discarded all others , some formerly friends who are in political differences with our new friend”
That said the ambassador urged Somalilanders to give the relevant authorities a carte blanche authority to pursue the Taiwanese angle to its fullest.
“At this stage when Somaliland has taken a very drastic diplomatic move we should not forget that the world is currently the stage of a resurged but covert cold war pitting Russia-China against the western democracies of which we have for long been aligned with” said Amb Jibril thence stressing the imperatives of making the right choice for repercussions be it positive or negative shall be of a long term.
The now overt relations between Somaliland and Taiwan have not gone without castigation by both china and Somalia with the two countries terming national unity as a must that they are prepared to pursue at any cost.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory though it has been a sovereign nation but with only 15 countries recognizing, since the Kuomintang party led by Chiang Kai She escaped from the mainland during the war with the Mao Tse Tung led communist party that rules today.
Here at home Somaliland a former British protectorate which entered into a voluntary 1960 later turned fateful union with Somalia a former Italian colony to its south-east is also under siege.
Though Somaliland withdrew from that fateful union thus reclaimed its sovereignty three decades ago, war torn Somalia has refused to accept the divorce thus still claims territorial authority.
