STANDING UP TO RADICALS: What Western leaders could learn from Somaliland
In one of the world’s toughest neighbourhoods, a 100 per cent Muslim state has achieved what many Western governments have not.
Reporting from the Horn of Africa, I’ve been struck by how different the reality of Somaliland is from the caricature often presented to Western audiences. Here is a self-declared republic, unrecognised and unheard by much of the world, yet functioning as a stable, democratic state in one of the most volatile regions on earth.
“It’s a very conservative, religious, Muslim country, 100 per cent Muslim,” Anwar Abdurrahman Warsame, former chairman of Somaliland Civil Society, told me. But Somaliland doesn't have the same problems with radical extremists as other Islamic nations.
That stands in sharp contrast to neighbouring Somalia, where al-Shabaab continues to wreak havoc. I asked him why Somaliland appears immune.
“That’s what we call community policing,” he said. “Every village has its own community policing. So if they see something… they are immediately reporting to the nearest police station.”
The model is simple: communities and authorities work together, with what Warsame describes as “zero tolerance” for instability. “Everyone will inform if they see somebody who is going to do something else,” he said. “So in that regard, everyone will be a police in his place.”
It’s not just security where Somaliland claims success. Despite lacking formal international recognition, it has held multiple elections and managed peaceful transfers of power. Warsame pointed to the most recent presidential handover. “They just handed over peacefully… there was no argument and problems,” he said. “Somaliland finishes their issues by dialogue, not by bullet.”
Traditional elders and religious leaders play a role in mediating disputes. “Dialogue system is one of the most country-building mechanisms in Somaliland,” he explained.
The question of recognition looms large. Warsame welcomed Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, calling it “really very fantastic”. Celebrations erupted in Hargeisa, even as criticism poured in from parts of the Islamic world.
“The relationship between Somaliland and Israel is about politics,” he said. “It doesn’t care about religion.” He noted the irony that the only Jewish country in the world has recognised Somaliland while more than 50 Muslim-majority nations have not.
Why the hesitation? “They are saying Somalia is one country,” he said, arguing that Somaliland’s brief independence in 1960 justifies its separate status.
Warsame has a message for Washington too. “You should have to recognise Somaliland. You are the biggest country in the world,” he said, pointing to the strategic importance of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Recognition, he believes, would bolster regional stability.
Whether the West is prepared to listen remains to be seen. But on the ground in Hargeisa, the case for Somaliland’s distinct path is being made confidently.
Sign The Petition
If you believe Western governments should reward democratic success instead of ignoring it, add your name to the petition calling for Somaliland’s recognition as a sovereign state.
Support Our Coverage
Watch All Our Coverage
Follow along with all of Avi's on-the-ground reporting about Somaliland.
Avi Yemini
Chief Australian Correspondent
Avi Yemini is the Australia Bureau Chief for Rebel News. He's a former Israeli Defence Force marksman turned citizen journalist. Avi's most known for getting amongst the action and asking the tough questions in a way that brings a smile to your face.
https://followavi.com/Featured Stories
05:11
COMMENTS
-
Fran g commented 2026-02-11 19:47:58 -0500I would like to visit Somolialand. Do you need to have any vaccines? I will not have any vaccines, they are poisonous. -
Bruce Atchison commented 2026-02-11 19:37:34 -0500Western leaders are too brainwashed by socialism to see the clear and present danger of Islamism. Until guns are pointed at their heads, they’ll never learn. And it would be wise if Trump recognized that successful nation.
