There are barely any Somalis with the proper credentials to take on this work. Even wealthy Middle Eastern and Asian countries prefer to partner with European, North American, or Australian universities for fieldwork and research. These old institutions have proven themselves over decades. They bring experience and professional standards that have earned them the trust of countries whose history is central to tourism (Egypt, Jordan, Peru, and now Saudi Arabia, for example).
Yet I see many of our poeple insinuating that our heritage is somehow more at risk in the hands of these foreign archaeologists and historians than it is from locals digging around for YT/FB likes. Ridiculous, in my opinion.
Somaliyow, we can’t be the best at everything. Accepting this fact is the first step toward learning how to preserve what we have.