Somaliland: UNPO brings Success Story to attention of Financial Times
The Statement below, a reaction to the Financial Times Article 'Somali Lessons for Afghanistan', comes from UNPO Project Coordinator for Brussels, Mr. Andrew Swan, reminding readers that Democracy, Good Governance and the Rule of Law Does exist in the Horn of Africa.
Below is an article published by the Financial Times
Sir, Gideon Rachman (“Somali lessons for Afghanistan”, July 27) fails to recognise that within the borders of failed Somalia there is a successful state-building exercise: Somaliland.
Born out of lengthy talks in the 1990s, a grassroots democratic movement has created a moderate Islamic state of the kind the west dreams about. The success of this de facto state is the most real demonstration available today that, instead of imposing external puppets or models of governance, the west must listen to, and do more to further without compromising, the moderate voices in Somaliland and Afghanistan.
Just as the success of Somaliland goes sorely neglected, so moderate Afghan voices such as Ramazan Bashardost, the “Afghan Gandhi”, should be given more credit and, consequently, more credibility in national and international circles.
Only by supporting such examples of budding good governance, democracy and rule of law can the war against extremism be won.
Andrew Swan,
Project Co-ordinator (Brussels),
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
