Reporter’s notebook: Somaliland and the never-ending drought.
Despite declaring its independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has yet to gain international recognition.
In addition, it has been hit by a severe drought in the last three years.
The paradox is that it is far more stable and safe than Somalia, which has received millions of euros in aid money from the West.
Somaliland is eager to show that is safe – unlike Somalia, which is regularly hit by Al-Shabaab jihadist attacks.
In the hospital we see dozens of emaciated children, victims of malnutrition.
Like most people in Somaliland she used to sell her animals in Burao, one of the largest livestock markets in East Africa.
Today a handful of camels and some goats are on sale.
The livestock sold in Burao is then transported to the port of Berbera where it is exported to the Gulf countries.
Its activity has been hard hit by the drought and by a ban on livestock from Somaliland imposed by Saudi Arabia (officially for health reasons) – usually its biggest customer.