Advocacy for Somaliland
Team: Ilir Deda, Jenna Mancini, Tamara Shahabian
Supervisor: Mark Johnson
Semester: Spring 2007
Advocacy for Somaliland Recognition New School GPIA Project on Public Diplomacy and Advocacy
1. Somaliland is a democratic and peaceful state comprising part of the "failed" state of Somalia. A former British protectorate, Somaliland briefly existed as a state before its union with Somalia. Following the Somalia civil war, Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but has yet to be recognized by any other state. The non-profit diplomatic advisory group Independent Diplomat is advising the Somaliland government on its diplomacy, including on the question of international recognition.
2. Internationally, Somaliland's history and political development is hardly known. Without having a formal diplomatic service, a wide base of supporters or well-organized pressure groups, however, it is difficult to build up momentum for international recognition. The GPIA project will address this need for advocacy and public diplomacy.
3. PIA consultants will examine the following questions:
What is the Somaliland government's existing lobbying and public diplomacy activity in the U.S.? Research
What kind of advocacy on Somaliland happens by diaspora organizations, individuals and other sympathizers? How well are advocacy and messages from Somaliland's official representative and others coordinated? Research
Consultants will further research:
Good practice in the area of lobbying and public diplomacy by states as poorly resourced as Somaliland, and in the area of effective advocacy by similar sized diaspora/sympathizer groups (e.g. consider new states such as Eritrea, East Timor, Montenegro, aspiring states such as Kosovo, Western Sahara, Taiwan etc.); Research
Use of the Internet (websites, blogs, mass e-mailings) in Somaliland's lobbying, public diplomacy and advocacy; Research
Lobbying firms that do pro-bono work for worthy democratic clients like Somaliland or might at least offer a consultation on strategy and techniques. Research
4. Research on the above questions might include the following sources:
Diaspora organizations, both of Somaliland and other diaspora groups;
Supporters of Somaliland recognition;
The Somaliland Representative in the U.S.; -Offices of members of Congress with large numbers of Somalilanders in their electorate.
1 Independent Diplomat's work for the Somaliland government is confidential and students therefore should not contact representatives (such as the UN Missions) of the African Union, UN or any state with any interest in this question, e.g. Ethiopia, Somalia, the U.S., without prior consultation with Christina Kiel or another representative of Independent Diplomat. Students should also not speak to journalists or the press about this project, without prior permission from Independent Diplomat.
2 Independent Diplomat will give a short briefing to introduce this project, followed by an updating session halfway through. The output should be realistic and practical recommendations on how lobbying, public diplomacy and advocacy for Somaliland in the U.S. (and more widely as appropriate) may be improved.
Core Documents
Terms of Reference
Timeline
Final Presentation
Additional Documents
ID Full Draft.doc
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