For the past four days, I’ve been in Hargeisa, the capital of the Republic of Somaliland. Somaliland is a self-declared independent state in the northern part of Somalia. The world’s governments and the UN have refused to recognise Somaliland’s declaration of and referendum on independence, because doing so requires admission that the former Somalia is a failed state. Most don’t know that this region is actually one of the safest places in Africa, unlike its neighbour to the southeast.
In 1960, the former British colony of Somaliland merged with the former Italian colony to create Somalia. Nine years later, Siad Barre came to power and established a socialist state. The civil war that toppled him in 1991 resulted in Somaliland declaring its independence again, but if left Hargeisa flattened by government bombing raids. In the centre of the city today stands a memorial to those killed. At its apex is a government MiG shot down over the city.
Today Somaliland is a functioning democracy. The elections are free and fair, though there’s some concerns about press freedom – journalists investigating corruption tend to find themselves in prison.
Business is booming in Hargeisa. A combination of a stable political environment and an influx of funds from the Somali diaspora have recently been leading to rapid economic development. The lack of international recognition hampers this growth when it comes to big infrastructure projects, though. The roads are in appallingly bad condition and there aren’t any power plants in the country – electricity is provided with diesel generators. Big projects like these require loans, and western governments that don’t recognise Somaliland’s status won’t issue such loans. Someone’s stepping in to fill the void though – China. Somaliland’s only port at Berbera is currently being renovated under a three-way deal between Sonaliland, China, and landlocked Ethiopia, which is seeking an alternative to Djibouti for access to the sea. Chinese aid comes with no strings attached, and as a result they have proven a more popular partner than the U.S. or EU. China’s influence had been growing by leaps and bounds over the past decade.
The roads are in terrible condition here – some haven’t seen any maintenance since the war. To add to the lethality, Somaliland drives on the right (except when it suits them to drive on the left) – usually in right-hand drive vehicles. The awkward combination reduces visibility.
The lack of international recognition means that the banking system in Sonaliland is poorly developed. Like most other East African countries, credit and debit cards are nonexistent. Mobile phones, on the other hand, are ubiquitous, and someone quickly figured out that they’d be an even more convenient means of payment. That gave birth to Zaad – Telesom’s mobile payment system. Everyone has a Zaad account, from teenagers to streetside food vendors – and now I do too. Signing up was only a small hassle – my American name caused a lot of confusion because it didn’t fit with Somali naming customs – and once it was done, I could send and receive money. I even sent myself money from the States to my phone in Somaliland. This is the primary way the Somali diaspora remits money to their families here. Now I know how it works.
To pay someone with Zaad, you just dial *888#, enter your pin, their phone number, and the amount. Both you and the merchant instantly get a text message confirming the transaction. It’s fast and easy – I wish we had something similar in the U.S.
This morning I went to the rock paintings at Las Geel – the most famous tourist attraction in Somaliland. These prehistoric rock paintings are among the best-preserved in the world – the look like they were painted yesterday.
Most of the paintings are of cows, with a significant contingent of humans and dogs. The last photo shows some giraffes.
The paintings are all on the ceilings of rocky overhangs that formed shelters for prehistoric people. The mountaintop offered views for miles around.
I signed the guestbook – no one else has been here for ten days, and with Ramadan beginning tomorrow, probably not for antithetical month. In the high season, it looks like one to two groups a week come through, averaging a person a day. Seeing this guestbook adds to my suspicion that I’m the only white tourist in the entire country. I haven’t even seen many foreigners. I’ve met a Somali-Canadian on vacation, a Chinese man on business, and a Sri Lankan here to buy gems. This isn’t exactly a vacation destination.
