Somalia stayed non-aligned and aid-rich despite the N.F.D. loss

Evidence

Somali governments during the first seven years of independence stayed true to the idea of neutrality, although that is not what the world powers wanted to hear. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 1389 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Although the United Nations ‘experiment’ in Somalia, as it has often been called, had certainly succeeded in providing the new state with an effective administrative and political framework, neither the southern nor the northern regions were yet economically viable. In recognition of their outstanding economic requirements both former colonial powers had agreed to continue to supply aid and assistance. Britain had promised £1-1/2 million for the first year after independence, and thereafter an annually negotiable amount. This financial aid was accompanied by a six months’ programme of technical assistance such that Britain would for six months continue to pay the salaries of those former colonial officials who elected, at the request of the Somali government, to stay on after independence. Italy promised a more substantial annual grant of about £3 million, paid partly in the form of salaries to a team of Italian ‘experts’ serving with the Somali government. The commercial link between the two countries, which brought the southern regions into the European Common Market, was to be continued through the banana monopoly and the heavy dependence of Somalia upon Italy for imported goods. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Somalia became independent despite not being economically viable; Somalia maintained nonalignment during its first seven years; Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423 (+2 more)

Related

• Somalia became independent despite not being economically viable (similarity 0.91)
• Somalia maintained nonalignment during its first seven years (similarity 0.91)
• Somali governments maintained genuine neutrality during the first seven years of independence (similarity 0.89)
• Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid (similarity 0.86)
• Somali foreign policy balanced Pan-Somali nationalism against broader non-aligned interests (similarity 0.85)
• The N.F.D. fixation left Somalia isolated in Pan-African politics (similarity 0.84)
• Somalia maintained genuine nonalignment that neither superpower could accept. (similarity 0.84)
• Great-power expediency delivered Somalia back to Italy for ten years (similarity 0.84)
• Former colonial powers funded 31 percent of Somalia’s initial budget. (similarity 0.84)
• Cold War superpowers rejected Somalia’s nonaligned democratically committed government (similarity 0.83)
• Independent Somalia would need foreign aid for up to twenty years (similarity 0.82)
• Military regime showed uncharacteristic moderation on Somali nationalism for years (similarity 0.80)
• Somalis framed unification as both Pan-Somali and Pan-African in principle (similarity 0.80)
• Somalia broke diplomatic ties with Britain on 12 March 1963 (similarity 0.79)
• Italian-ruled Somalia ran persistent budget deficits after thirty years (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Somalia maintained nonalignment during its first seven years #corroborates (0.90)
• Somali governments maintained genuine neutrality during the first seven years of independence #corroborates (0.85) — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 1389
• Post-independence Somalia remained economically dependent on British and Italian aid #corroborates (0.70) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 423
• Somali foreign policy balanced Pan-Somali nationalism against broader non-aligned interests #qualifies (0.50) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 496