Somaliland and Taiwan establish diplomatic ties

ONE IS A small, surprisingly successful and relatively democratic country bullied by a larger, dictatorial neighbour which considers it to be part of its own territory. The other is Taiwan. On September 9th Somaliland, a breakaway republic in the north of Somalia, opened a “representative office” in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. It followed the opening in August of a similar Taiwanese office in Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital.The exchange of diplomatic relations is a coup for Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 after the fall of Somalia’s last dictator, Siad Barre. Like Taiwan, it is a country in all but name. It has a government, an army and borders. It holds elections and, unlike the rest of Somalia, has been mostly peaceful for the past 30 years. It issues passports.