HARGEISA, (Somalilandpress) — This paper, commissioned as part of CGD’s work on weak and fragile states, examines how the lack of recognition of Somaliland by the international community—and the consequent ineligibility for foreign financial assistance—has shaped the region’s political development. It finds evidence that Somaliland’s ineligibility for foreign aid facilitated the development of accountable political institutions and contributed to the willingness of Somalilanders to engage constructively in the state-building process.

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In the absence of other sources of revenue, the New Charter government of Somaliland had incentives to establish credible political institutions and engage with the business community to create a tax-based relationship with its citizens to fill its coffers. The Somaliland government‟s inability to rely on foreign aid forced it to explore endogenous sources of revenue, inducing legitimate state-building as officials needed to be accountable to the general public, including the local business community.

By: Nicholas Eubank

To Download the paper in PDF file, Click Here: Peace-building without external assistance – Somaliland

Source: Center for Global Development, 14 January 2010

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1 COMMENT

  1. Somaliland has been a peaceful country for the last 20 years look where that got us so far no recognition and worst the international community only cares about chaotic Somalia. Thw world enjoys the horor show when people kill each other die of hunger and natural disasters like in Haiti that is the only time the world gives a damn about a small country somehwere in Africa. For the world to notice Somaliland the Somalilanders need to do drastic things to be noticed, like invade Somalia and take over the whole hell hole and force them to recognise Somaliland that I believe is the only solution left since thus far all what the world gave SL is a deaf ear

  2. Elmi get real brother, use common sense..I feel your pain, but you don't right wrong with wrong. We dont want to harm our brothers in order to achieve some thing we can achieve through negotiotion and patience. God is our witness and the Almight will eventually reward us, so long as we do the right thing as we have done for so long. peace and perceverence

  3. To Elmi :

    as someone who waits the moment the international community act differenty on the Legitimate Quest for Somaliland, but in the meantime I dont loose hope thats why we been patient over 20 years so now its the time for bickering and loosing hope, so yes we suffered from the South too much that we all remember but we will not resemble them by any means, it's not me who saying that but Ibrahim Egal that has spoke about the Mentality of the Somaliland people are different, and deserves to be the best to represent the African History.

  4. The only reason that Somaliland is at peace is because of its people the political classes are leaches , they work not for the people but for the businessmen who create no wealth no jobs but take what little is sent by the Diaspora and remove it from circulation and into the buckets of fake medicine and good manufacturers, having said that not everyone is leaches and there are those who are trying hard but saying Somaliland had establish credible political institutions is misconceived just because we are more fortunate then Somalia (thanks to all) and there is less foreign interference coupled with working traditional Somali conflict resolution which is based in the clan system which unfortunately was destroyed in the south by the Italian colony does not mean we are any different. Let hope they will also learn to live in peace together because if your neighbour’s house is on fire there is a likely hood that your house might catch fire