On the list of mistakes made by Farmajo, I believe that this particular decision stands out as the most significant.
The island is intriguing, even though it is not inhabited by our ethnic kin and has a low population. What I think this small island does is disturb the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of one of our most productive stretches of coastline.
I would argue that the opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, and the UAE has now taken control and de facto annexed the place. If Farmajo had been astute, he could have annexed it or one of its smallerand offered it to Puntland to tax and administrate is as a gesture of goodwill.
Morally, I can fully understand his choice. From a point-of-view of cold hard geopolitics, it was a bad choice.
We could've used it as a chip, and have Yemen concede one of the smaller uninhabited island and still would've increased our EEZ by thousand of square kilometers without taking on the burden of administrating a non-Somali people.
Island are powerful economic and geopolitical tools. Missing out on gaining the right Island can cut you out of billions of lost revenue and a weak leg to stand on against neighbouring nations. Do not forgot, our Yemeni "brothers" gladly took the Derg-led Ethiopias side against fellow muslims Somalis.
The island is intriguing, even though it is not inhabited by our ethnic kin and has a low population. What I think this small island does is disturb the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of one of our most productive stretches of coastline.
I would argue that the opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, and the UAE has now taken control and de facto annexed the place. If Farmajo had been astute, he could have annexed it or one of its smallerand offered it to Puntland to tax and administrate is as a gesture of goodwill.
Morally, I can fully understand his choice. From a point-of-view of cold hard geopolitics, it was a bad choice.
We could've used it as a chip, and have Yemen concede one of the smaller uninhabited island and still would've increased our EEZ by thousand of square kilometers without taking on the burden of administrating a non-Somali people.
Island are powerful economic and geopolitical tools. Missing out on gaining the right Island can cut you out of billions of lost revenue and a weak leg to stand on against neighbouring nations. Do not forgot, our Yemeni "brothers" gladly took the Derg-led Ethiopias side against fellow muslims Somalis.
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