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In his 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics lecture titled “Paths towards the Periphery,” delivered in Stockholm on December 8, Professor James A. Robinson presented Somaliland as a compelling example of successful indigenous state-building. While the world often focuses on state failures in the Horn of Africa, Professor Robinson, who holds dual appointments at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and Department of Political Science, and the University of Nigeria-Nsukka’s Institute of African Studies, highlighted how Somaliland’s innovative use of traditional institutions offers a powerful counter-narrative.
The Stockholm lecture elevated Somaliland’s governance system to the global academic discourse. Professor Robinson, co-author of “Why Nations Fail,” demonstrated how Somaliland’s blend of traditional and modern governance structures challenges conventional wisdom about democratic development, particularly in regions where Western models have struggled to take root.
Central to Professor Robinson’s analysis was the Guurti, Somaliland’s council of elders serving as the upper house of parliament. Since its formation during the 1993 Borama Conference, the Guurti has proven instrumental in stabilizing Somaliland during its formative years. Its effectiveness was particularly evident in 2003 when President Dahir Riyale Kahin’s razor-thin victory margin of 80 votes was peacefully accepted—a defining moment for Somaliland’s democracy.
The institution’s success in conflict mediation exemplifies how traditional mechanisms can effectively address contemporary challenges. In 2021, Somaliland held parliamentary and local elections praised by international observers for their transparency and inclusivity. This adaptability has been key to Somaliland’s stability in a region often characterized by political turbulence.
Professor Robinson explained that normative orders—the underlying societal norms and values—are critical to shaping governance systems. While many African states struggle with post-colonial systems that clash with local traditions, Somaliland avoided this pitfall by weaving its clan-based norms into state institutions. The Guurti, representing 82 clans, institutionalizes community harmony and consensus-building, though this sometimes creates economic trade-offs between stability and reform.
Bashir Goth, Somaliland’s representative to the United States, contextualized the Guurti’s role for international audiences by drawing parallels with the U.S. Senate. “This analogy helps foreigners understand the Guurti’s function,” Goth explained, “but its unique origin in pastoral democracy and continued role in peace-building has become a subject of scholarly interest, now recognized in the annals of Nobel Prize history.”
Professor Robinson drew parallels between Somaliland and Botswana’s successful integration of the kgotla system, challenging the notion that poorer nations must mimic Western systems to succeed. Even more remarkable is Somaliland’s success in scaling traditional governance principles to the national level—a feat many African states have failed to achieve.
The absence of international recognition, often seen as a handicap, may have been advantageous. Without foreign interference dictating its political systems, Somalilanders crafted governance structures tailored to their needs, resulting in a democracy that is participatory, resilient, and accountable.
For Somaliland’s ongoing quest for international recognition, Professor Robinson’s academic validation carries particular weight. It strengthens the argument that Somaliland’s unique path to statehood, while unconventional, has produced a stable, functioning democracy worthy of global acknowledgment. Highlighting how the west can help less developed people, Professor Robinson said: “we have to take seriously and study more intensively the nature of their societies.” Somaliland’s success demonstrates this principle, showing how indigenous institutions like the Guurti can be effectively adapted for modern democratic governance while maintaining cultural continuity
