International recognition, sovereignty and democracy in the Horn of Africa: The case of Somaliland republic

Unrecognized states are "state-like" entities that are 'conceived of territories' which gained 'de facto independence' after the warfare, but they failed to get any international recognition from the outside world. The main contribution of this thesis is to build an analytical framework for understanding unrecognized states as stable and viable entities that can exist side by side with their parent states. This paradigm is very critical to some of the literature studied in this research. Some scholars argue that these are "dangerous" entities (Hughes, 2007). Other scholars use numerous terms like 'de facto states', 'unrecognized states', 'disputed states', 'shadow states', 'parallel states', 'phantom states' etc. This thesis discusses the underlying theoretical questions surrounding the Somaliland case which are important in political terms and have a significant compartment on the clarification of unrecognized entities as analytical concepts for theoretical research. An analytical case study approach is employed in this study that exemplifies how the case of Somaliland Republic – the central topic of this thesis- falls outside several key lengthy considerations within the unrecognized states debate. The de facto unrecognized in the former northern Somali Republic has practiced significant economic, political, and institutional development and became one of Africa's 'strongest democracy' and most 'stable polity in the horn of Africa'. The purpose of this thesis is to further explore the unique case of Somaliland as the longest-serving unrecognized entity in the horn of Africa. Drawing upon extensive interviews, field research notes, oral data as well as published and unpublished work, this thesis interrogates the underlying theoretical questions surrounding Somaliland such as international recognition, democracy, self-determination, and the political economy. This thesis concludes that the Somaliland Republic has proven stable, functional and relative democratic institutions. Although international Law justifies the right to self-determination, the Somaliland Republic has never achieved any international recognition from the outside world.