Somaliland

Somaliland is a self-declared, de facto independent state located in the Horn of Africa, on the eastern coast. It declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the overthrow of the military regime of Siad Barre in Somalia. Somaliland has its own government, military, and currency, and it has enjoyed relative stability compared to other parts of Somalia.

Somaliland is not internationally recognised as an independent state. Despite this lack of recognition, it has functioned with a high degree of autonomy and has established institutions to govern itself. The region has been relatively peaceful and has held several democratic elections.

Efforts to gain international recognition for Somaliland’s independence continue, but the political situation is complex, and progress has been slow. It’s advisable to check more recent sources for updates on the current status and developments in Somaliland.

I was there for a six day fact-finding mission for the AMAR International Charitable Foundation. During that time, we visited the Hargeisa Hospital, the renal unit, the MAS Children’s Teaching Hospital, and the university medical school in Hargeisa. In Gibiley, we visited the mayor, the Gibiley Hospital and two Mother Child Hospitals. The latter do not have doctors, just midwives.

The mission also included a drive to the port city of Berbera. There we were shown around the port and met the director of the new port projects ($450m) and the Berbera hospital.