Dawo Aljazeera Ethio-Somaliland Relations Post-1991: Challenges and Opportunities    Part Two:   Author: Nasir M.Ali     Ethio-Somaliland Relations Pre-1991   The most important factor which determines Ethio-Somaliland relations is the strategic location where Somaliland situated. Furthermore, there were no political relations between Ethiopia and Somaliland. In this regard Somaliland was part and parcel of the Somali state, before an armed clan-based militias managed to overthrow the long-time ruler General Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. In the same manner, Somaliland’s location in the northern part of the Somali state made it subject to the successive conflicts erupted between Ethiopia and Somalia in 1964 and 1977-1978[i]. Contrary to this, the political vendetta and antagonism between the two governments of Ethiopia and Somalia did not have an effect on the Ethiopians and Somaliland societies; however, as one of Somaliland former ministers argues that even while the two communities were overseas, both Ethiopians and Somaliland people were friends with the existence of the political vendetta between the two regimes[ii].  On the other hand, although Somaliland was not separate from the rest of Somalia before 1991, due to the existence of the geographic proximity, there were both people-to-people and Muslim-to-Muslim (faith) relationships. Hence, the major factor that serves as a bandage between the two communities as indicated earlier is the Somali Region of Ethiopia which connects the remote heartland of Ethiopia to the Somaliland cities. It deserves to mention century’s long trading system between the two neighboring communities, such as trade transactions between the cities of Berbera on one hand, Dire Dawe, Harar, Jijiga and Wardher on the other. Moreover, the emergence of the armed movements against the Barre regime; particularly, the Somali National Movement (SNM) and the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF), diminished the hostility between the two nations, and downgraded the Somalia’s irredentism and its claims to the eastern part of Ethiopia inhabited Somalis[iii]. Furthermore, the Somali National Movement (SNM) managed to break up the political hostility, suspicion and the standoff between Ethiopia and the Somaliland people by breaking the shield of the conflict[iv].   Even though Ethiopia served as the base of the Somali National Movement (SNM), there were no political or state-to-state relations between the two sides before the emergence of the armed movements. Moreover, it was proxy relations since the armed movements were getting sanctuary from the Ethiopian government. The only durable relation which this movement restored and created is the people-to-people relationship and communication. This laid down the foundation for future relations both before the collapse of the Somali state in 1991 and afterwards[v]. On the other hand, since Somaliland is strategically close to the strategically sensitive places of Ethiopia such as Dire Dawe, Harar and Jijiga, both Ethiopia and Somaliland are vulnerable to any conflict which could erupt and destabilize the whole region. Therefore, Ethiopia is prone any conflict from the northern Somalia (Somaliland) than the southern Somalia, since the later is too far from the strategically sensitive locations of Ethiopia[vi].   Ethio-Somaliland Relations from 1991-1993   As soon as the clan-based armed movements managed to remove from power the long-time ruler of Somalia, General Mohamed Siad Barre, Somalia which was the makeup of British and Italian colonies united to form the “Greater Somalia” disintegrated into regions, and heavily armed warlords emerged in mainland Somalia. Somaliland which was British Protectorate proclaimed its independence from the rest of Somalia, claiming the colonial boundaries inherited from the British government in 1960. Furthermore, Somaliland adopted a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of the neighboring states. In addition, Ethiopia de facto recognized the peace and stability in Somaliland as a stable region compared to the hostility going on its neighboring southern part of Somalia. Ethiopia pursued a policy which maintains that if the conflict in the southern part of Somalia continued it may affect the relative peace and stability of Somaliland[vii]. In the same way, when the people of Somaliland defeated the autocratic rule of Mogadishu, the current ruling coalition of Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) also managed to overthrow the Mengistu regime in Ethiopia. This means the dissident groups both in Ethiopia and Somalia succeeded to defeat the two Socialist-oriented regimes in the Horn of Africa[viii]. Subsequently, when the Somali National Movement (SNM) managed to end the rule of Barre, and declared the independence of Somaliland from the remaining part of Somalia, the Somali National Movement (SNM) Chairman Abdirahman Ahmed Ali was inaugurated as the first President of Somaliland. Nevertheless, from 1991 to the end of 1992, there were no official relations between Ethiopia and Somaliland, because there was civil war which was going on in Somaliland. That civil war was the major challenge which obstructed the foundation of official relations between the two neighboring countries[ix]. Therefore, although Ethiopia and Somaliland maintained close relations in different sectors; these relations started officially after the formation of the second administration of Somaliland led by Mohamed Ibrahim Egal in 1993. Since then, Ethiopia strategically regards Somaliland as its closest ally in the Horn of Africa[x].    Ethio-Somaliland Relations from 1993-2002   Somalia’s state collapse caused the dismantling of the state institutions throughout the country. At this stage it is important to note that, Somaliland was the region which spearheaded the Somalia’s state collapse and its disintegration. After it separated from the rest of Somalia, Somaliland established its own institutions, by putting aside and ignoring the prolonged state collapse in the south. Therefore, after the cessation of the civil hostility which erupted in Somaliland post-1991; Ethiopia and Somaliland started to establish their relations[xi].   In May 1993, when the late Mohamed Ibrahim Egal came to power, relations between the two sides started to take shape. The activities carried by Egal were the founding-stone which created the current bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Somaliland. This move also made the military commanders of the Ethiopian armed forces in Hararghe[xii] to contact their counterparts of Somaliland to collaborate in order to maintain peace and stability along the border areas between the two sides. But, relations were weak and ineffective at that time, since Somaliland was emerging from the ashes of prolonged civil conflict. Since the beginning of the 1998, the relations between the armed forces became strong, particularly, the Central Command of the two armed forces, backing by the civilian officials of the two governments. This shift also accelerated the people of the two to interact and exchange visits across the borders. The confidence created by the two armed forces, led the Ethiopian government to trust Somaliland and regard it as an ally and friend in a volatile region. As an expression of the good relationships, the Ethiopian government invited President Egal several times to visit Ethiopia, where Ethiopia’s State Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tekede Alemu (Dr) paid several visits to Hargeisa[xiii].   It worth to mention that once President Egal was elected in the Borama Conference in 1993, Egal administration changed the political balance and took political risks by eliminating the political antagonism and the legacy of the two military regimes which created suspicion between Ethiopia and Somalia in general and Somaliland in particular. Moreover, the relations between the two sides reached its peak[xiv].