The recognition of Somaliland Questions & Answers 1. Why is Somaliland campaigning for recognition? Somaliland is campaigning for recognition primarily for practical reasons. Non-recognition imposes major costs on the country — hampering the government's ability to raise funds on international capital markets, depriving the country of valuable forms of assistance from multilateral institutions, preventing countries from giving critical bilateral support, trapping the population behind its borders because their passports are not recognised, inhibiting investors because the country cannot sign up to key international treaties, imposing higher insurance costs on businesses, and preventing the country from controlling its fishing stocks and airspace. The people of Somaliland - 97.9% of whom voted for the country's constitution which enshrines independence - also feel passionately that they have the right to self-determination. They have a clear legal case for recognition and, against all the odds, have overseen the restoration of peace, built a successful free-market economy and cultivated a stable, multiparty democracy. 2. Does Somaliland have a legal case for recognition? Absolutely it does. According to the legal section of the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "it is undeniable that Somaliland does indeed qualify for statehood, and it is incumbent on the international community to recognise it." Many other international lawyers and experts agree. Somaliland's legal claim rests on its history — the fact that it was granted independence by Britain in 1960 and, having entered an unsuccessful union with Somalia, simply wants to return to its original sovereign borders. Importantly, Somaliland has all the attributes of statehood as defined by the 1933 Montevideo Convention. It has a permanent population, a defined territory, govemment and capacity to enter into relations with other states. 3. Why has Somaliland not been recognised so far?