The 2014 Somaliland budget at $212M is more than double Somalia’s $109m for 2013
By: Ethiopian review
Somalilandsun – The Somaliland cabinet on Thursday approved a $212 million budget for 2014 which is an impressive 70% increase from last year’s $125m.
This is more than double the budget by Somalia’s central government despite international recognition and support which the fledgling somaliland does have. Late last year, lawmakers in Mogadishu approved a $109m budget for 2013.
In the last three years, Somaliland’s annual budget rose by more than 320%
Somaliland declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 following a bloody war with the government of Dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. It has failed to gain international recognition and does not receive aid other than small humanitarian assistance.
While this growth is very impressive, and in view of alleged maladministration most of these money might end up where unintended.
So in reality, the numbers are impressive but no rewards for the general people. They might even become worse of due to this new massive taxation and economic pressure.
The unemployment amongst the youth remains one of the highest in the entire region at 80%.
Thus 2014 brings little celebration for somalilanders.
KEY FACTS:
Somaliland is a former British protectorate and In 1960 the British ended their rule and the region merged with Southern Somalia and formed The Somali Democratic Republic.
The capital was moved to Mogadishu as well as key Somali institutions and symbols and identities including the blue flag that everyone knows as the flag of Somalia.
Another key symbol that was inherited from Somaliland included Somalia’s current army and police national symbol(s).
This was based on Somaliland’s camel corps (army), which fought in World War 2 along side British forces in places such as East Africa (Southern Somalia, East Ethiopia, Kenya) and Burma and Singapore.
Below picture shows Somaliland marines with the British forces serving in Singapore on HMS Venus (1916).
They also later fought along side Abyssinian forces against the Dervishes and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland (Sayid Abdullah Hassan).
The force later become the foundation to Somali Republic’s National Army (SNA).
Somaliland eventually fell out with the Barre regime due to the lack of freedom and democracy in the Republic. In 1980s, the Isaac clan took up arms against Barre and by 1988 it was a full blown out war between Isaac public and the Dictator. Barre was eventually weakened and his most heavily armed division the 26th army division was facing decisive defeat in Somaliland. He turned to South African mercenaries and he began bombing the northern cities killing more than 50,000 civilians.
About 500,000 Isaac people fled across the border into Ethiopia and seek refuge under Mengistu Haile Mariam who himself was facing heavy clashes in the north.
In 1991 Somaliland declared it dissolved the union with the south after the collapse of Dictator Barre.
Source: ethiopianreveiw with editing by somalilandsun
