Somaliland Americans Community

The self-proclaimed but as-yet unrecognized Republican of Somaliland derives from the former British Somaliland Protectorate, occupying the northern part of the Somali-inhabited area of northeast Africa and the southern shore of the Gulf of Aden. Following the normal process of decolonization, it became independent on June 26, 1960, but-just five days later-agreed to join former Italian Somalia im

mediately to the south. The resulting Somali Republic was intended by Somali nationalists to incorporate the other Somali-inhabited regions of the Horn of Africa, that were given away by occupying European colonial powers- The Ogaden region of Ethiopia, the Northern Frontier District of Kenya and the French Somali Coast (Now Djibouti). Instead, after the breakdown of the military dictatorship of Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991, government in the formerly Italian part of the state collapsed entirely, while the formerly British part reclaimed its independence on May 18 of that year. Since then, Somaliland has remained self-governing, promulgated a constitution, held a number of democratic fair and contested elections and maintained peaceful rule.