The horn of Africa has a varied colonial history. Strategically the main game here is access to the Red Sea and Pacific Ocean and the countries here were valued as conduits for trade from the landlocked African countries to the outside world. Italy, France and Britain were all actively staking their claims here throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries with Italy, interestingly being the most active. In 1960 British Somaliland (which is where I am going) became independent and joined with the Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic, a decision that they almost immediately regretted and have been trying to reverse to this day. Indeed French Somaliland also joined in but have subsequently broken away to become the tiny independent country of Djibouti. Decades of dictatorship followed by a breakdown in any meaningful government in Mogadishu has left British Somaliland in political limbo.
They have responded by building a completely separate state within a state. They have their own government, armed forces, police force, currency, hospitals and schools. They have their own separarte visa and do not accept Somali visas. They have applied for admission into the UN as a stand alone independent country. Unfortunately they have not been accepted. It is into this country that I am going into. There is said to be no terrorist threat here and I am on an organised tour group suitable reassured by the presence of a gun carrying guard!
