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I. Introduction
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I would like to extend my appreciation to Dr. Peter
Pham and the Atlantic Council for inviting me to give
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this address today.
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The Atlantic
Council—thanks in part to Peter Pham’s diligent leadership at the
Michael S. nsari frica
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Center—has
stood out among
merica’s leading public policy
institutions for promoting
a truly
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interdisciplinary approach to understanding the politics and economics of East
Africa. It is therefore
a
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great pleasure and an honor for me to exchange views
today on Somaliland and the future of our region
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II.
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Somaliland’s Journey Toward Independence
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Ladies and Gentlemen: I have traveled to Washington
today from Somaliland, a nation that defends its
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borders, protects its citizens, and mints its own
currency; a nation that your former Secretary of Defense
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called, simply, “an entity that works,” but a nation
that has not yet been recognized by the United States
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or the international community.
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Somaliland became an independent, sovereign state on
26 June 1960. Five days after independence,
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Somaliland chose to unite with Somalia with the aim of
creating a “Greater Somalia” comprised of
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several former European colonies with citizens of
ethnic Somali origin. Almost immediately, the people
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of Somaliland were excluded from decision making and
representative governance in the new Somali
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Republic. In turn, our people rejected the Somali
Republic’s constitution by referendum, and their
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disenchantment continued throughout the early years of
the union as political and economic isolation
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grew.
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After assuming power in a military coup in October
1969, Mohamed Siad Barre led a brutal military
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dictatorship that in the 1980s embarked on a violent
campaign against the people of Somaliland, killing
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more than 50,000 civilians and displacing ten times as
many people. Despite the atrocities committed,
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Somaliland rose from the ashes to rebuild and emerge
stronger than ever before. We were determined
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not to allow such a massacre of men, women and
children happen again. The people of Somaliland
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would no longer be victims in our own land.
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Following the collapse of the Somali state in 1991,
the people of Somaliland decided to withdraw from
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the union and re-assert Somaliland’s sovereignty and
independence – in full compliance with
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international law.
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s Somalia’s disintegration unfolded, Somaliland built
a functioning, stable and democratic state. While
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the international community spent millions of dollars
trying to save Somalia from itself, we focused on
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maintaining peace within our borders, building strong
state institutions, and creating a sustainable
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economy. And I
am pleased to say that Somaliland will be celebrating 22 years of
independence on May
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18
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this year.
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t h
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Despite enormous challenges, Somaliland has held four
peaceful elections and has preserved a culture
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of democracy.
Our security forces have ensured that terrorist groups like al Shabab
have no safe haven
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in Somaliland.
And we have tackled piracy off our coast with determined and
comprehensiv e actions.
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Over 100 individuals involved in acts of piracy have
been jailed by the Somaliland government.
We have
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forged agreements with other governments on the
transfer of these criminals. Our legislature has
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institutionalized Somaliland’s anti-piracy laws. And we have partnered with friends in
Europe and
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America to thwart these and other violent extremists,
both on land and at sea. But we also
recognize
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that there is more work to be done.
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We have also made great strides with regard to
education, development and public health.
While
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others in our region have struggled with famine and
relied on external food aid, we have invested in
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food security and avoided the afflictions of chronic
hunger and disease. In fact, during
the last drought
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in the region, our government donated nearly $700,000
in humanitarian assistance to Somalia.
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We accomplished all this independently, with limited
assistance from the international community. This
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spirit of self-reliance continues to guide our nation
to this day.
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III.
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The Situation on the Ground in Somaliland
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My presence in Washington today is a testament to our
success. I recently stood in front of my
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parliament and described the state of our union to the
people of Somaliland, one of the methods that
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we employ to ensure accountability and good
governance. I spoke of my administration’s challenges,
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especially in the diplomatic arena where recognition
remains our overarching goal, and our
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accomplishments, which include:
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strengthening the independence of the Election
Commission,
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facilitating the de-centralization of the state and
empowering local communities,
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increasing government revenue and streamlining the tax
system,
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presenting, for the first time in our history, a balanced
national budget that currently stands at
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$180 million per annum,
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Institutionalizing public finance reform – with our
first report due for publication at the end of
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this month,
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further expanding and professionalizing the armed
forces and police,
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improving relationships with international aid
agencies, and
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investing in education, which has allowed us to build
dozens of new schools, hire thousands of
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new teachers, and make primary schooling free for all
students.
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I am also proud of our most recent democratic
achievement. Just a few months ago, we
held our first
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Municipal elections in over ten years. In this process, over 4,000 candidates
competed for 400 seats on
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local councils in cities and towns across
Somaliland. As the political debates
that framed those elections
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subside and these municipalities settle into the task
of governing, we look forward to holding
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parliamentary elections as soon as feasible following
completion of our voter registration process.
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Somaliland continues to secure its borders to advance
peace and stability in the region. Earlier last year,
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clashes occurred in the Buhoodle area of the Sool
region between government forces and certain militia
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groups – groups that were seeking to destabilise and
sow discord amongst the Somaliland population
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living in that region.
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It is important to stress that all conflict is
regrettable and only a measure of last resort. During these
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operations, the government took ev ery measure to
safeguard the well-being of civilians, including full
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access to water and other basic services. To advance wider peace, my Government also
conducted
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civilian reconciliation initiatives in key towns
throughout the area. Following successful dialogue with
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the militia groups, the government released more than
200 prisoners and welcomed a number of the
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militia’s key leaders into Somaliland’s cabinet. To reinforce the peace, our government has
also
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earmarked more than $1.2 million for development
projects for the benefit of the communities in that
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region.
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Somaliland will continue to promote reconciliation as
part of our on-going efforts to strengthen unity
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within our borders.
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If you have been to Somaliland, as a guest, a tourist,
or an investor, you know that there is an oasis of
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calm in the troubled Horn of Africa. Dozens of
international companies now recognize that Somaliland is
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a unique frontier market with real opportunities.
Areas of Somaliland are anticipated to contain
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commercial quantities of oil, and energy companies are
undertaking significant explorations. Coca Cola
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has opened a state-of-the-art bottling plant and other
companies are beginning to recognize
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Somaliland’s potential as a regional hub. Somaliland is very much open for business.
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We are proud of what we have accomplished with only
limited outside help. On all fronts, Somaliland is
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poised to continue advancing security and prosperity
for all its citizens.
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IV.
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We Cannot Move Backwards, Only Forwards
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As we do this, my people and I are watching
developments to our south very closely. We hope that
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Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will succeed
where past transitional governments have
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failed. We also hope that enhanced diplomatic support
and foreign aid from the international
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community will impede the corruption, tribalism, and
militancy that have afflicted the people of Somalia
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for too long.
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A secure and peaceful Somalia that is able to build
and preserve strong state institutions, fight terrorism
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and violent extremism, and stimulate a functioning
economy is in Somaliland’s national interest.
To this
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end, over the past year my government has undertaken
good faith efforts to renew dialogue with
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Somalia, and held direct talks with the Transitional
Federal Government in London, Istanbul and Dubai.
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These talks laid the groundwork for my meeting just
nine days ago in Turkey with President Hassan
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Sheikh Mohamud, where we affirmed our shared
commitment to build trust and improved relations
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between our governments. Future meetings – the first of which we
agreed to convene within 90 days –
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will aim to strengthen cooperation in the fight
against terrorism, extremism, piracy, illegal fishing, toxic
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dumping, and other serious crimes.
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Somalia and Somaliland can and should be equal
partners. Yet as we proceed down this
track, we hope
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and expect that those who are now reaching out to the
new government in Mogadishu will do the same
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with our government in Hargeisa.
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In this regard, we have already received assurances
from the U.S. Government that its recognition of the
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government of Somalia will not negatively impact
merica’s ongoing engagement in Somaliland.
Our
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people were indeed encouraged by this gesture. However, as we move forward in dialogue and
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cooperation – and continue to serve as a model of
security, stability and democratic governance in this
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fragile region – the people of Somaliland expect
more. And that is why I have come to
Washington, on
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the heels of the landmark agreement between Somaliland
and Somalia.
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The United States and the international community have
recognized that the status quo in the Horn of
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Africa is not sustainable. Their engagement with Mogadishu seeks to
stimulate and sustain the
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transition of Somalia to a viable sovereign
entity. The same type of engagement is
required for
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Somaliland.
These two tracks are not mutually exclusive.
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Our people believe that the time has now come for the
international community to fully recognize the
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security and stability they have preserved in the
midst of chaos, and to acknowledge the legitimate,
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sovereign and independent status of their nation. A new international paradigm for Somaliland
is
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overdue.
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Building on the Somaliland/Somalia dialogue that we
have established, and the bilateral relations that
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we are working to expand with other governments, a
critical next step will be Somaliland’s attainment
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of observer status in our region’s Intergovernmental
uthority on Development (IGAD) and in the
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African Union.
The United States can do much to engage its friends in the Horn of
Africa and beyond to
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help us secure this role, which will facilitate
further dialogue with key stakeholders in the region,
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including Somalia.
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We are not asking others to take a chance on what
Somaliland may one day become, but rather to
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simply recognize the current state of affairs. Somaliland is a fully functioning sovereign
entity. From
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1960 to 1991 we gave unity within a Greater Somalia a
chance. It did not work, and we cannot
turn
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back.
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Today, only the people of Somaliland can and will
decide their future – not the government in
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Mogadishu, not the international community.
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With proper diplomatic recognition, Somaliland will be
able to contribute more effectively to a
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sustainable and prosperous future for the Horn of
Africa, building on our own experience in forging an
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oasis of stability in a long-troubled region.
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This is the pragmatic option, and it is also the only
option. Recognition of Somaliland’s
independence is
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long overdue and must be part of any sustainable peace
in this region.
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V.
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Conclusion
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Ladies and gentlemen: What Somaliland has accomplished
in a short period has taken other countries
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decades, if not centuries. The progress that we have
made is irreversible. Our friends in the U.S.
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understand this, and we are grateful for their
continued engagement and support.
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However, in the long-term, engagement alone – on terms
that do not adapt with other changes in policy
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– will be insufficient.
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The U.S. has led the international community in
supporting the self-determination and sovereignty of
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many peoples throughout modern times. The people of
South Sudan, East Timor, Kosovo and many
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others remember that the U.S. spoke up for them when
others were silent. The people of Somaliland
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ask for no more, and no less.
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America emerged from the ashes of the Revolutionary
War and became a nation by believing in its own
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people’s capacity to build something greater than
themselves. In Somaliland, we also believe in self-
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reliance and staying the course. We have rebuilt our nation from the ashes
of a brutal war. We are
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willing to protect our freedom at any cost because we
know its true value. And it is this
value—more
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than any other—that we share with the United States.
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Thank you.
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