Op-Ed: Somaliland Importance on the Hydro-Geographic Location and the New HAGA Region (Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden)

By:Dr. Ridwan Osman Mohamed

Somaliland History

Somaliland is a de facto sovereign state that lies in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden with 5.7 million populations, 176,120 km² areas, and 850.800 km² coastlines. Somaliland was a distinct region dating back to the late 1888^th before Britain settled Somaliland under parallel leather on the approved agreement between Somaliland Traditional Leaders and British Government. Somaliland got its full independence from the United Kingdom on 26^th June 1960 and became the 15^th African country that took their independence whereas 35 countries acknowledged the recognition of Somaliland. Somaliland voluntarily and unconstitutionally united with Somalia that took its independence on 1^st July 1960 and declared and recalled its freedom and independence on 18^th May 1991 and voted its Referendum on 31^st May 2001.

Hydro-geographic location of Somaliland

The neighbors of Somaliland are north-west border with Djibouti, south-east border with Ethiopia and east border with Somalia. The hydro-geography location of Somaliland in the Gulf of Aden in which the length is 1,480km and Somaliland is the largest and majority country of the Gulf of Aden coastline lying, that occupied the length of 850 km, this gulf connect the Arabian Sea and Red Sea. Somaliland approaches to the Babu Mendap and only away from the strait in a distance of 78 km to the southeast that open to the Red Sea. Somaliland exactly occupied the most useful space of the Horn of Africa on geographical strategy of the topography.

The geography location of the Republic of Somaliland is the economic pathways of sea and land, geopolitical space and security cord to East Africa specially Horn of Africa region and Gulf of Aden for international economic importance. The borders shares to its neighbors are essential to the security of the region that Somaliland upholds the peace to the last 3 decades in conflict-full regions of civil wars, terrorists, parities and illegal immigrations of the sea.

Somaliland importance in Horn of Africa

Somaliland is stable, politically peaceful, constitutionally transforms the powers of the state, economically fast growing, academically developing and remarks as gold glistening in the region of restlessness, economically underdeveloped, internally awakening on civil wars and political arguments that is highly welcoming their need of political introducing and economic feeder. Somaliland has developed numerous to continue the political reforms to build the great un-breakable wall of self-sufficient, reconciliation, freed and fair election and economic hub in the region of political hurricanes and arguments volcanoes to examine the whole continent in a specific unique goal which is ‘State of peace and elections Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden’.

The strategic geographic location and main cornerstone of the economic spot in the region is Somaliland which covers the most considered position on the Horn of Africa which is open to the coastline of the Gulf of Aden. This geographic location enable Somaliland to host the economic packages of the international companies as now attracted the Coca Cola, DP World, CDC Group, Genel Energy, CPC, and numerous small international companies, because of free economic zone of Somaliland, were government builds policies and people does businesses, which is rare in Africa and other recognized countries in the world. Somaliland is a flourishing and non-harvested land of minerals, charcoal,  oil , cement and other natural resources and all needed for building new and reopening industries to explore the overflow of natural resources.

The economic now open important sector of Somaliland is livestock production which dominates the economic employment coverage of 70% of the population directly or indirectly works in the livestock sector. Where livestock production contributes 60% of GDP and export earnings of 85% to export livestock to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Egypt and UAE and newly started meat export to the Arabian Peninsula that exported from Berbera port. The livestock market and export of livestock and meat, milk, ghee, skin and hide export need improving and new market expansion to the international markets to compete with other countries to build the modern slaughterhouses, skin and hide tanneries, modern processing milk and meat industries to livestock products. The Somaliland livestock market is a potential source of production that could sustain the whole year to the international market demands. Berbera port is the regional livestock export hub in the Horn of Africa and sea cord that connect to the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Babu Mendap and Red Sea which is the sea that hosts 1/3 of the world’s economic trade’s pathway.

The need of exploring those resources; exporting and establishing industries majorly requires international relations and recognition. The recognition is the major factor that underestimated the international relations, explorations, and export of the natural resources overflowing in Somaliland. Apart from the need for recognition, Somaliland still remains its independent sovereign state to tirelessly establish friends in the continent and internationally.

Somaliland importance in Gulf of Aden

Somaliland is located in the vital heart waterway and coastline in the Gulf of Aden, which the length is 1,480km, Somaliland takes up the largest length on the Horn of Africa own Gulf of Aden to the length of 850 km. The gulf connects the Arabian Sea and Red Sea including the Babu Mendap, where it approaches Babu Mendap strait in a small distance of 70 miles starting from the West coastline of Somaliland.

Somaliland coast is one of the most secure in the gulf where there is no pirates, terrorist groups and human illegal trafficking as happen and eminent of thither countries of Africa, Asia and the new region of the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden. Since the Gulf of Aden is the vital 1/3 economy pathway and 11% of the world’s petroleum passes through the gulf and Somaliland sea is deposited in sea lives, oil and gas.

Somaliland has 4 main ports from the 11 sea ports on the Gulf of Aden which are Sayla, Berbera, Maydh and Las-qorey while Yemen has 5, Djibouti 1 and 1 Somalia. Somaliland ports were an ancient use in the world’s most historic coastal cities for commercial and trade purposes. Whereas Berbera is the port on the Horn of Africa main export port and import secure in the region, adjoining the one of the longest highways in Africa of Berbera Airport that close to the sea port and newly rebuilt by Emirate. DP World invested Berbera port with $442 million and newly partner with CDC Group which is UK financial development institution and impact investor, since Berbera is the regional trade hub to make land, air and sea exports center of the commodities to the region of Horn of Africa and main land locked of East Africa.

Somaliland sea water is naturally the home of the rear and adored sea lives of different types of fish including Whales, Dolphins and Dugongs. Those natural ecosphere resources require economic investment of the overflow exploration and fish industries for local and export purposes to the international markets. Those sea resources aren’t exposed to commercial hunting, pirates and insecurity in addition to the numerous tourist islands.

The importance of Somaliland recognition and the need to establish the new region of HAGA

Somaliland was distinct region dates back to the late 1888^th, got its full independence from the United Kingdom on 26^th June, 1960, becomes the 15^th African country, whereas 35 countries acknowledged its recognition, where it voluntarily and unconstitutionally united with Somalia on 1^st July, 1960 and recalled independence on 18^th May, 1991 and voted its Referendum on 31^st May, 2001.

Somaliland fits all international mandates to recognize a country which are permanent population, defined territory, a government and capacity to conduct international relations. Somaliland has fulfilled all those 4 points it has its population (people of Somaliland), defined territory based on the Africa borders, fully functional and only African state of people freely electing their powers of state and international build great relation to the international community, INGO and countries with the approval of the Councils, Representatives and Embassies and liaisons Offices in Hargeisa, Somaliland and it owed to the countries counter versus.  Those make representative offices are Taiwan, Djibouti, Kenya, UAE, UK, Denmark, Ethiopia and Turkey. Whilst Somaliland has representative offices from above mentioned countries and others including the USA, Germany, Finland and Sweden.

Recognition of Somaliland now would let the USA, AU, EU and international communities get a state of peace and reconciliation to calm the world’s civil wars, insecurity and the way of peace building. This time is the moment of friendship building and alley amid un-trust in the region of Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden. Those two regions become fire regions and there is a need to establish a new HAGA region (Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden) and the one of MENA (Medal East and North Africa).

Somaliland recognition is highly recommended to all international countries and establishes relation to the peacefully glistening country in the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden of Somaliland will outdoor Africa to become the home of economy, peace and stability. Somaliland is the old friend of trading hubs and now is more fundamental than before, since it’s the entrance gate of East Africa, air space and waterway to the regionally, continentally and internationally.

About the author

Dr. Ridwan Osman Mohamed is expert of Veterinary Medicine, Agribusiness and Value Chain Management, International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid

Email: ridwaanmohamed5@gmail.com

Twitter Account: Ridwan Mohamed @ridwaanxato

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Horndiplomat editorial policy.

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