The Somali nation and the hazards of the nation-state model in the horn of Africa: lessons from Somaliland

AbstractThe paper aims to evaluate the risks associated with the Western nation-state model in the Horn of Africa (HoA). Specifically, it examines the effects of the nation-state model adopted by the Somali people in the region. The work was done qualitatively, using data gathered from secondary sources. The study’s findings indicate that the Somali nationalism/nation-state project has both internal and external destabilizing effects. Internally, it caused tensions within clans, and externally, it supported the self-determination of Somali-speaking territories in neighboring countries, as well as dissidents within those territories. The project also provoked the Ogaden War (1977–78) with Ethiopia, leading to the downfall of the regime and ultimately the disintegration of the state, resulting in the emergence of clan-based militias and Islamic fundamentalists. The paper also suggests that Somaliland’s hybrid governance model might offer a solution to the ongoing turmoil affecting the Somali people and others in the region.