[The Guardian] Britain must stand ready to recognise Somaliland | Letter

Britain must stand ready to recognise Somaliland | Letter

The country is a successful democracy that has reasserted its independence, and is pursuing peace and security, says Alun Michael

Given that Somaliland is such a beacon of democracy in Africa, your article seems to be unduly negative about the prospect of its recognition, saying that this will “infuriate” Somalia (Exclusive: Somaliland president says recognition of state ‘on the horizon’ following Trump talks, 30 May).

The former British Somaliland was given its independence in 1960 and chose to join with the former Italian Somaliland to form Somalia, while the former French Somaliland wisely chose to sit it out as Djibouti. Its reward, during the rule of the dictator Siad Barre, was death and destruction in the “hidden war”, a period when many were resettled to Britain (particularly Cardiff, where the first Somalis had arrived in the 1850s) from refugee camps, mainly in Ethiopia.

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Source: Britain must stand ready to recognise Somaliland | Letter

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