Economic Relations between Somalia and Saudi Arabia: Livestock Exports, Labor Migration, and the Consequences for Somalia's Development

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Economic Relations between Somalia and Saudi Arabia: Livestock Exports, Labor Migration, and the Consequences for Somalia's Development
Author:	Janzen, Jorg
Year:	1986
Periodical:	Northeast African Studies
Volume:	8
Issue:	2-3
Pages:	41-51
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Saudi Arabia Somalia
Subjects:	international economic relations international relations Economics and Trade Politics and Government Labor and Employment Urbanization and Migration Development and Technology
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/43660369
Abstract:	Economic relations between Somalia and Saudi Arabia are close, with two major areas of exchange being livestock and labour. The Saudi market consumes 82-91 percent of Somalia's total livestock exports and attracts the bulk of Somali migrant workers. These economic contacts have had an immense influence on the traditional economic and social structure of Somali nomad society. They have heightened socioeconomic contrasts, led to a stronger tendency among nomads to settle, changed the structure of Somali livestock herds and disturbed the ecological balance. Applying a centre-periphery framework to the Saudi-Somali case, the author concludes that though both parties profit economically in many respects, Somalia is nonetheless clearly in a less favourable position. The most urgent task for Somali national development policy is to reduce the one-sided dependence on Saudi Arabia in the future. Bibliogr.