Somalia and Somaliland are usually presented as competitors in a zero-sum sovereignty dispute. This article develops a different proposition: internationally recognized Somaliland statehood could also advance Somalia's stabilization and state-building. The "buy one get one free" formulation describes a potential dual peace dividend rather than an automatic result. The study combines qualitative, theory-guided historical and policy analysis with in-depth expert interviews and focus group discussions. Five theoretical mechanisms are proposed. Recognition could clarify the territorial scope of Somalia's federal project, reduce political investment in forceful reunification and redirect resources toward reconciliation and public authority. It could also support security and economic cooperation with Hargeisa and reduce regional threat perceptions that complicate external support for Mogadishu. Interview participants linked the unresolved status dispute to constitutional ambiguity, nationalist mobilization, diplomatic tensions, and diverted state-building attention. The article therefore recommends a negotiated settlement covering borders, citizenship, public assets and debts, security cooperation, freedom of movement, and minority protections. If Somalia is unwilling or unable to accept separation, the international community should step in to mediate the deadlock . With these arrangements, recognition could strengthen Somaliland’s statehood and help Somalia develop a more coherent, legitimate, and governable federal state. Read more

Sustainable development is an idea of global awareness about the demand for natural resources for growth and development with obvious consequences on the environment, especially for the future. The idea now has a 17-goal agenda, which was adopted in January 2015, by the UNDP to be achieved within a time frame of 15 years, from 2015 to 2030. Even though Africa is not on the same level as the global North, in terms of development, all African countries now embrace the idea. Using public policy as a perspective in understanding the implementation of the 17 goals, because all the 17 goals are policy issues and the state is central to policy formulation and implementation, this paper, therefore, interrogates the nature of the African state in order to see the extent to which African countries can achieve the 17 goals. The paper observes that the nature of the African state must be put in a proper perspective in order to understand why African countries may not achieve even one of the 17 goals within the 15- year time frame. This is because the state is today, the problem with the African development process, for being in crisis and for operating with very weak institutions. Read more