A woman casts her vote © Georgina Barrett /Progressio

While the world's eyes were focused on the bombings and violence between warlords, Ethiopians and Islamists in Somalia this May, the vice-president of a neighbouring Somali country visited the UK almost unnoticed. He arrived with little fanfare to celebrate his country's Independence Day with people who have settled in the UK to escape the Somali civil war and its violent aftermath.

Progressio has been working in the quiet and stable Republic of Somaliland for 12 years to support its process of democratisation after breaking away from Somalia in 1991. 'Progressio's work has been key in bringing about UK awareness of this small country and its people', said Michael Walls of Somaliland Focus (UK) which was set up to promote UK awareness of this peaceful country. But Somaliland has never been formally recognised as a separate state by any country for fear of setting a regional precedent.

The country, which follows the border of the 19th century colonial British Somaliland Protectorate, has charted a path towards democracy and development over the past 16 years. The Protectorate was decolonised in 1960 and, breaking away 31 years later during the Somali civil war, the new country inherited a virtual desert at the tip of the Horn of Africa. There were few buildings left standing in the capital, Hargeisa, as a result of bombing raids. There were no infrastructure, health services or education, and half of the people were refugees. The country has rebuilt itself since then with only sporadic foreign aid, making an enormous effort to establish basic health and education services. Despite increasing urbanisation, 60 per cent of the population still rely on livestock - camels, sheep, goats - for their livelihood, with money sent home by Somalilanders across the globe making a major contribution to the country's economy.

Somaliland held a referendum on a new constitution in 2001 that confirmed its independence and has also held local council, presidential and parliamentary elections. The Somaliland National Electoral Commission asked Progressio to recruit and manage all the international election observers - 76 people from 19 countries - who oversaw its 2005 parliamentary elections. It was unusual for an African country, with a 98 per cent Sunni Muslim population, to ask a British organisation with Catholic roots to take on this role, but Progressio has a track record of supporting democratic processes and indeed of finding common ground between people of different faiths.

Despite a gun battle between police and jihadist Muslims just before elections, the election days passed off peacefully. Our election teams went to all six regions of the country and found the elections to be 'reasonably free and fair'. Endearingly, the only bar to their being completely free and fair was Somalilanders' insistence on transparency rather than secrecy. Many people cannot read or write and there was no voter registration, so absolute secrecy of the ballot was difficult, but nobody seemed to mind or feel threatened. Our team's report praised the enthusiasm and commitment of voters to exercise their democratic rights.

Vice-president Yassin of Somaliland showed the maturity of political debate in his country when he answered searching questions last month from Alun Michael MP and members of the All-Party Parliament Group on Somaliland on how his country was planning to become recognised as a separate country, the dangers of instability from neigbouring Somalia and his use of controversial state-of-emergency powers.

Progressio's work on the Somaliland elections was part of our commitment to make sure our local partner organisations' voices are heard by the Somaliland government, particularly the voices of women in this very male-dominated society, and assist them to hold their government accountable on the economy and human rights.

As a charity, Progressio cannot call for the recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state, but we do believe the new country deserves respect for its achievements (Read more on the Somaliland Focus website). Minister for Africa Lord Triesman, on welcoming president Riyale of Somaliland to the UK last year, said 'the UK can do business with Somaliland'. Progressio would like the UK to continue to build links with Somaliland, particularly as many former Somalilanders now live in the UK. The Welsh Assembly for example, alive to the presence of Somalilanders in Cardiff, has a programme of international help to Africa, particularly Somaliland, and is committed to strengthening the Somaliland parliament by assisting it to draft legislation and join international parliamentary associations. Small steps perhaps, but ones that contribute to the process of democratisation and development that Somalilanders, drawing on their strong culture of self-reliance, have are leading forward for themselves.

Dr Steve Kibble is Progressio's advocacy coordinator for Africa, Middle East and Asia. He is joint author of 'Further steps to democracy: The Somaliland parliamentary elections, September 2005' (2006).

Progressio's seven development workers in Somaliland assist Somalilanders to track their government's performance on the economy and human rights, and also work with local counterparts to support the development of public amenities such as libraries, a university and health services. Read more about our work in Somaliland.