The Israel recognition of the 30-year-old self-declared state of Somaliland left many asking themselves what Somaliland is and why this is so important.
Somaliland is a self-declared, unrecognized state in the Horn of Africa that has functioned independently for more than three decades, despite being officially considered part of Somalia by the international community.
Somaliland was formerly British Somaliland and briefly gained independence in 1960 before voluntarily uniting with Italian-controlled Somalia. After years of political marginalization and severe repression under the regime of Siad Barre, the region declared independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Somali state.
Unlike much of Somalia, Somaliland has since built its own governing institutions, including elected governments, a functioning parliament, and local security forces. Its capital is Hargeisa, and it has maintained relative internal stability in a region often defined by conflict.
