Seventeen years ago, Somaliland declared itself independent from Somalia. But no other country has ever formally recognized Somaliland as a bona fide nation. Hence it is not eligible for international aid or loans.
Many blame that lack of recognition for the fact that an estimated 90% of the men in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, are unemployed. Yet its marketplace bristles with activity. As Richard Lough reports in part two of our series on Somaliland, it's women who run the businesses. |