Somaliland and Taiwan: Convergence of Interests and Values 

By Adam Muse Jibril

Philosophers defined civilization as a transition from Legendary ideas to Rationality outlook of the World (Dr. Mourad Wahba, the founder and ex-chairman of the Afro-Asian Philosophers Association). Observing the Taiwan-Somaliland relations issue from the perspective of the gap between the great and deep in history civilization of Taiwan compared with the Somaliland society which traverses in a stage of evolution, where the common people’s minds are filled up with traditional and patriarchal thinking through which they rationalize the world around them. The fact is that they are not only far apart, but they live in conflicting realities on a historical level. Nonetheless, in spite of the contrasting situations of the two sides, we are witnessing a convergence of interests and values between the two. How can this unusual coincidence be explained?

Taiwan has been a mature democracy on the forefront of democratic nations of the Asian continent, and one of the hugely developed countries in this continent with which Somaliland can have significant and beneficial bilateral relations.

On the other side, Somaliland had been an independent state which was united with Somalia in 1960, the unity that has failed due to excessive dictatorial practices by military Junta, but re-emerged once again from the ruins of failed state, which entered into historical crisis when military junta hijacked the power by force and led to twenty years of merciless dictatorship under which all kinds of inhuman practices were committed against the Somali people, in general, and the Somaliland people in much brutal and destructive manner as a result Somaliland was put in a limbo of diplomatic, economic and political isolation.

The emerging democratic Society in Somaliland which is located in an explosive region, close relationship with the democratic world such as Taiwan is a great plus and complementary positive factor for the sustainability of this nascent democracy. However, the basic guarantee to make Somaliland democracy sustainable is from the internal front and depends on many factors, of which only few can be mentioned: Democratically Enlightened Political Elite, Visionary developmental oriented roadmap, and Dependence on Institution, rather than individual performances.

Finally, one can modestly identify the areas of cooperation that Somaliland and Taiwan could be able to collaborate, area on which Somaliland is desperately in need to get assisted by its friends, the pressing prerequisite is Institutional Capacity building, Democratization – Cooperation between the two houses of the Parliaments, Education and sciences, women empowerment and so on. Lastly, the common experiences of the two sides have determined the path to this historical convergence of cooperation.       

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About the Author

Adam Muse Jibril, Former Somaliland Representatives in the UK, Ethiopia & African
Union. Founding Member of Somaliland Committee for Peace. Co-founder of Sab-Sahara informal Political Analyst of HoA.

Email:  adamjibril47@gmail.com

Twitter: @AmbMuse1

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