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Somaliland In Focus: 2010 and the economy

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In my previous article I have discussed about the current political issues in the country. However today, I would like to give you an overview about Somaliland’s limited economy, our expectations in 2010 and areas we have to improve to achieve economic growth – this is my view.

Clearly every year has its ups and downs and 2010 is no exception. It is our economy that we need to reshape and regulate the most more than any other sector from what I have observed as an undergraduate in economics. We need to make use of the little we have, which I think would have taken us so far if we plan carefully. Though at the same time we had many challenges that hindered our economic development for the last decade or so.

The worst challenge was Saudi Arabia’s sanction on our livestock. Fortunately, that is over now as the sanction is lifted after 11-years. Thus we need to be cautious about our economy’s backbone market and try to avoid them getting any excuse to ban our livestock again.  This includes inspecting all ships that are to carry out livestock to the Arabian Kingdom, because it is possible someone could sabotage us by loading sick animals on the ship prior to it’s arrival then mixing it with our animals.
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This will create cross-contamination, we need to clearly mark all our animals, keep proper data, before loading them on the ship, send all data including the weight of all animals to Saudi Arabia, so this way if someone tamped with our animals, we can just look back at the record on certain animal in question including it’s weight. If the data is wrong then we know it came from else where.

We need to do every thing to protect our market, there are a lot of people who would be more than happy to see the sanction being imposed on Somaliland. We have to be vigilant.

The second greatest source of our economy is the remittance money from our kind and helpful Somalilanders in abroad. According to last year’s statistics, from Money transfer agencies, this money has reduced as a result of the global economic crises which has hardly hit the western countries where most of it used to flow from.

So it is time for us to change our mind and think of more reliable and sustainable sources of income. You will feel uncomfortable when you see more than 70% of our families are dependent on abroad for survival.

I would like to argue the Diaspora to think again. What if they help the family start a small business for living? This will not only relief the Diaspora, but also help the family members to be self-employed. Imagine a 35 year old person who has never done any work! Of course, waiting for others to feed.

A Chinese proverb says “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime”. To put it more simply I think that we will learn from experience and plan for tomorrow, not only for today.

Another sector where we are very much behind is the agriculture, we have fertile soil, water can be found but we never consider mass producing our own food, except very few individuals. We need to become food self-sufficient. We need to call on people to utilise the available resources to achieve the common objective in agriculture because we have seen how badly we have been knocked by the global food crises in the last two years.

To go bit far, for the last few years we have witnessed impressive development in the private sector economy in our country. However, the only problem one can point is that it is unregulated, unplanned and unbalanced growth. You will see overcrowding in some sectors (i.e. telecommunication), while more profitable and urgently needed sectors are ignored.

We should not also forget to remind ourselves that we have to encourage our small industries to grow. How? Individuals should buy the local products; the government should restrict imports on domestically produced goods and materials.

Recently, I was comparing the locally produced soft drinks with that from international major firms. During my observation I have discovered that they are similar in price, the public consumes more of the foreign drinks, though the domestic one might be better of quality! So we need to be more realistic, the locally produced products should be cheaper.

Here comes again another touching phenomenon. Hey Somalilanders! in the second decade of the 21st century we need not to be the most corrupted country in the world and yet wait to develop and recognition. Putting it more simply there has to be transparency and accountability, in every activity we are doing, be it government and public. Opportunities to do so should be sought out and taken advantage of wherever and whenever possible.

To conclude, economically we need to be creative, make use of opportunities and plan ahead. Otherwise “if we fail to plan we plan to fail”. We have to prepare today to afford the improvements of tomorrow. Our budget should be more of a development-centred.

You only have to check our 45 million budget for last year, just to see that there is no single percent for development! I hope that in 2010, we will be able to improve these and many other areas where I didn’t mention here either for my short-sightedness or otherwise.

Jama Ismail Noor,
Senior Student
International Horn University
Jaamacyare11@hotmail.com

Hargeisa – Somaliland, January 10 2010

Somaliland and the New Year – 2010

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The Somaliland people, political parties and government progressed in many areas including state building, democracy and hosting free and fair elections across the country. Although, Somaliland foreign diplomacy was not successful to bring the long-waited international diplomatic recognition however its performance was acceptable.

The Somaliland security department confronted the infiltrating terrorists from neighboring lawless and vicious Somalia. More than 40 people were injured or killed in bombing in Hargiesa, Capital of Somaliland. Terrorist targeted sensitive areas like presidential palace, Ethiopian embassy – the only foreign diplomatic office in Hargiesa – and UN Headquarter.

Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in Mogadishu, Somalia, claimed the responsibility on bombing Hargiesa. FBI announced that one of the suicide bombers was Somali-US citizen from Minnesota called Shirwa Ahmed. US Government recognizes Al-Shabab as an international terror group that has links with Al-Qaeda.

Al-Shabab threatens the stability of Somaliland and Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in Somalia. They are trying to relocate to eastern sanaag, due to its mountainous landscape. Reliable sources highlighted that Al-Shabab sent observers to these areas including the famous Shimbirale, which has excellent hideouts including deep caves. Al-Shabab are gaining power in Somalia and recruiting young and brainwashed Somalis from outside mainly US and Europe.

Al-Shabab lost battle at Dhuuso Mareeb of central Somalia to Sufi religious fighters called “Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a”. This is sign of Al-Shabab’s continuous attempts to expend to other parts of former Somalia including Puntland.

The international community should support regional authorities against the expanding terrorism. Particularly, the preemptive cooperation against the terrorism must start between Somaliland, Djibouti and Puntland. These authorities, together, can defeat Al-Shabab, and theory of foreign forces on Somali soil can be avoided. Al-Qaeda uses the fight against foreign forces on Muslim soil as “postcard” to recruit fighters. First, Somaliland should be accepted as sovereign partner in the War on Terror.
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Unlike Kenya and Ethiopia, Djibouti is lucky to have democratic and stable Somaliland at its next door. Al-Qaeda got huge Sleeper Cells in East Africa. Somaliland and Djibouti cooperate against piracy, along with international forces at the Gulf of Aden. The regional water between Somaliland and Djibouti is the only pirate-free area.

Somaliland foreign diplomacy has strong and friendly ties with all regional countries. The landlocked Ethiopia uses Berbera Seaport of Somaliland as a gateway to the world sea trade. There are millionaire businessmen in both Djibouti and Ethiopia with Somaliland origin. Both Ethiopia and Djibouti has peaceful border with Somaliland and trade is flourishing between them.

Always, the people of Somaliland and Djibouti find ground of mutual interests that ensures the peace, stability and prosperity of the region. It is flimsy to believe that language, culture and religion unites people. The unity in Somalia on 1960 failed because it was based on language, culture and religion.

The Somaliland defense department secured its eastern border after defeating the militia loyal to Puntland administration, and promptly dispatched the aid of basic needs to the people of Sool and Eastern Sanaag. The schools reopened and clean drinking water restored. The police demined the streets of Lasaanood City from the explosive left by Puntland gunmen. The government services restored including Municipality.

Somaliland Election

EU Representative InterPeace sponsored biometric voter registration system in Somaliland to ensure free and fair elections. However, the system (Server) is facing difficulties due to weak hardware. The configuration of the system is not enough to store the database of 3.5 million people including indexing and sorting options.
The server failed to stop duplications after voters registered more than once.

Somaliland Election Commission (SEC) completed the registration of the citizens as scheduled, but after registration the weakness of the server showed and finally it failed. This was disappointment to Somaliland voters, government and democracy. Currently, Interpeace is trying to fix the problem with help of IT Specialists.

This bad project planning of InterPeace delayed the presidential election three times. The international new agencies and channels printed the pictures of Somalilanders in long queues during the voter registration process.

The achievements in Somaliland are countless and cannot be summarized in one article. However, we hope the New Year brings prosperity to the hardworking and peace loving people of Somaliland particularly the long-waited diplomatic recognition.

By: Abdulaziz Al-Mutairi
Email: az.almutairi@yahoo.com
10 January 2010 – Somalilandpress

Somaliland Opposition leader arrives in Washington

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WASHINGTON (Somalilandpress) — The leader of Somaliland’s main opposition Kulmiye Party arrived in Washington on Friday for talks with Somaliland community in the US and American officials.

Mr Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Silanyo), who flew from Addis Ababa after holding talks with Ethiopian and British officials arrived 7:30am at Dulles International Airport. He was met by Kulmiye’s foreign Secretary, Dr Mohamed Abdullahi Omar and members of Somaliland-American community.

Before his departure from the Ethiopian capital, Mr Silanyo held talks with British Deputy Ambassador, Mr John Marshall and second Secretary at the British Embassy, Mr Matt Woods.
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The two sides discussed the current political situation in Somaliland, including preparations for the elections and relations with Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

Mr Silanyo was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Mrs Amina Sheikh Mohamed Jirde.

Mr Silanyo hopes to meet with American officials to discuss issues of common interest including security, election and to promote ties.

In a related development, a pro-government website said Mr Silanyo was deported from Washington by US officials back to Italy, where he originally entered from the US, they also added that the opposition leader is expected to hold talks with individuals opposed to Somaliland’s self-determination. A statement political analysts dismiss as propaganda by the government.

Somaliland election is expected to be held in April 2010 after 27 September elections were postponed, the electoral commission announced that the election could not be held on the planned date, due to “current political, economic and technical conditions”.

The ruling party United Peoples’ Democratic – UDUB party will go to poles against Faysal Ali Warabe’s Justice and Development – UCID Party and Mr Silanyo’s Peace, Unity, and Development – Kulmiye party.

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Source: Somalilandpress, 10 January 2010

Kenyan Leader Urges WFP To Resume Humanitarian Operations in Somalia

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NAIROBI (Somalilandpress) — According to Kenya State House governmental website, President Mwai Kibaki has today urged the World Food Programme (WFP) to reconsider its decision to suspend food relief distribution to Somalia.

The president noted that continued denial of relief food to Somalia was exerting more pressure on Kenya which is already hosting thousands of refugees.

The head of state made the remarks when he met and held discussions with the country director of the World Food Programme (Kenya) Mr Burkard Oberle and WFP goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Haya Bint Al-Husayn of Dubai who paid him a courtesy call.

During the talks, President Kibaki expressed the government’s appreciation to the world food programme and other relief agencies for the commendable humanitarian work undertaken in the country and the region over the years.

The president, while recognizing the immense impact of WFP humanitarian activities in the country, appealed to the UN body to consider extending assistance to the floods victims.

“We appreciate the commendable work undertaken by the WFP in Kenya and the region over the years. Your recent international appeal funds to feed over four million children are well recognized. This will augment government efforts to carry out the school feeding programme and hence encourage more enrolment,” President Kibaki said.

The head of state outlined the various measures the government was spearheading to address exacerbating factors contributing to food shortages in the country.

Other measures undertaken by the government to address the food crisis include subsidizing purchase and distribution of free seed to farmers and harnessing the irrigation potential in the country.
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The head of state attributed the low level of the strategic grain reserves stock which currently stand at 2.2 million to poor maize harvest in the last few seasons due to inadequate rainfall.

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al-Husayn is the first lady of Dubai and UN WFP goodwill ambassador for hunger, poverty and Peace.

Princess Haya and the country director in response said WFP would consider Proposals made by President Kibaki in relation to Somalia and devastating floods which have claimed lives in the country.

The talks were attended by the Assistant Minister for Special Programmes Mohamud Ali, Head of Public Service Amb Francis Muthaura, and Special Programmes Permanent Secretary Ali Daud among other government and WFP officials.

WFP suspended humanitarian operations in southern Somalia after they said their operations came under direct threats and attacks from various armed groups and was not possible for them to reach more than one million needy people in the south of the country.

By: Abdinasir Mohamed
Email: abdinasir4@gmail.com
Mogadishu-Somalia

Source: Somalilandpress, 10 January 2010

Somalia's World Cup singer 'Let my people stay'

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Why the World Cup’s Somali singalong rapper is proud of his kinsmen

THE latest African voice to resonate across the world belongs to a 31-year-old Somali singer known simply as K’naan. His hip-hop number, “Waivin’ Flag,” is poised to bring him global stardom, because it has been chosen by Coca-Cola, a sponsor of the coming football World Cup in South Africa, as the tournament’s anthem. It will be released in 150 countries and some predict it will even outsell Luciano Pavarotti’s rendition of “Nessun Dorma”, the cup’s theme tune when it was held in Italy in 1990.

Born Keynaan Warsame in Somalia’s seaside capital, Mogadishu, he is now a citizen of Canada. But he cherishes his Somali roots. Several tracks on his new album, “Troubadour”, have Somali lyrics. “Waivin’ Flag” refers to Somalia’s banner, a five-pointed white star on a bright blue background.
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K’naan’s appeal is wide. He has been singing alongside the football trophy on its journey through 15 African countries. At last year’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, known as SXSW, he entranced a huge crowd from the cowboy state. “I figured I’d like it,” says an American radio presenter. “I just didn’t expect to see people crying.” His latest album was recorded at the house of the late Bob Marley, the reggae king, in Jamaica.

The Somali rapper says he suffers “something like survivor guilt”, thinking of the people he grew up with. Several of his boyhood friends were shot dead in front of him. He handled a machinegun and exploded a hand-grenade accidentally but says he never killed anyone. His family was intellectual and well-connected. His Aunt Magool was a famous singer. But as Somalia collapsed, he fled abroad aged only 13.

More recently he has stirred controversy by partially excusing the activities of Somalia’s pirates. He blames Western companies for illegally hoovering up tuna fish off Somalia’s coast and says that European criminal gangs have dumped toxic waste along it. Piracy, he says, is an understandable response. He told an American radio station that the pirates had at least had the effect of “cleaning up the environment”: on that score, he has a point.

In any event, K’naan says he wants to help unite Somalis. Fighting between the clans has been a cause of the country’s breakdown. For that reason he refuses to say which clan he hails from.

Were he to return home, that might not help him. The Shabab fighters who control swathes of the country have banned music. Some Shabab commanders have publicly whipped musicians. “They don’t like me very much,” says K’naan. A suicide-bomber might even target him.

For all that, he and his music are defiantly hopeful. Despite their warrior reputation, Somalis love poetry and music. K’naan thinks the Shabab’s austere version of Islam will fail. The country’s vibrant culture, he insists, will win the day.

Source: The Economist, 10 January 2010, originally published Jan 7th 2010 | NAIROBI.

Three Somaliland nationals build the first ever helicopter

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HARGEISA — Three men from Somaliland who, ever since they were young dreamed of building a helicopter have designed and built their own helicopter in their own backyard using scrap metals and an old engine from a van.

The trio, Mohamed Abdi Barkadle, Saed Abdi Jide and Abdi Farah Lidan  said the purpose of their helicopter was to be used to fight fire in the city and surrounding area. They receive no major sponsors, financial nor material support from any one including the government, it is a three men vision and ingenuity.

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This is the first ever helicopter built in any Somali speaking state. The fact that the trio could do so much with so little will inspire a lot of Somalilanders.

To many Somalilanders, this is historical moment for Somaliland and it is possible very soon others will start manufacturing their own electronics and devices.

This is the time to support these promising Somalilanders!, all stakeholders and regulatory agencies should rally round and assist these men to achieve their goal.

We wish them all the best from here Somalilandpress, we are certainly with you and we hope all the Somalilanders, friends and others who might be inspired by them get involved.

Somalilandpress, 9 January 2010

Breaking News: Somaliland forces say attack on mosque foiled

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HARGEISA (Somalilandpress) — Security forces in Somalia’s northern breakaway enclave of Somaliland said on Saturday they had foiled an attack on a mosque in Hargeisa where the imam had spoken out against militant suicide bombings.

Somaliland prides itself on its relative stability, unlike southern parts of the failed Horn of Africa state, where hardline rebels from the al Shabaab group control large swaths of territory and are battling a weak Western-backed government.

But al Shabaab, which Washington says is al Qaeda’s proxy in Somalia, wants to extend its influence north into Somaliland and neighbouring, semi-autonomous pro-government Puntland.
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Mohamed Saqadi Dubbad, the commander of Somaliland’s security forces, said six rockets and two mortar bombs were recovered from Imam Sheikh Aden Sira’s mosque after a local woman saw a suspected bomber carrying the explosives in a jacket.

“She thought he had stolen what he was carrying and ran to grab him,” Dubbad told reporters. “The man could not free himself, but he threatened the woman, saying: ‘I will blow you up with me if you do not release me,’ so she released him.”

Imam Sira had been critical of suicide bombings carried out by al Shabaab insurgents in southern Somalia, and officials said he had received death threats from the militants.

Al Shabaab hit Somaliland and Puntland with synchronised suicide blasts that killed at least 24 people in October 2008.

A court in Hargeisa has sentenced five men to death in absentia for the bombings, which struck the Ethiopian embassy, the local president’s office and a U.N. building. It said they were on the run in other parts of Somalia.

Somaliland, which has long sought international recognition as sovereign state, declared itself indepedent in 1991.

Source: Reuters, Sat Jan 9, 2010

SOMALIA: Puntland fire-protest leaves one dead

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GAROWE (Somalilandpress) — At least one person was killed and another wounded in a confrontation between civilians and Puntland state police in the town of Garowe on Friday, locals report.

Media reports say residents from Western suburbs of Garowe came out to put down a fire that has gutted a petrol station and several shops. The fire was successfully extinguished by the determined locals using buckets of water.
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The locals frustrated with the government, later took to the streets to protest about the lack of fire fighting equipment in the city. They say they desperately need a new firetruck to protect their brush-fire prone community, however they were met by heavily armed police who unleashed a hail of bullets.

They wounded two men, one later died while in hospital.

Until now no one knows how the fire began but it is believed it started from the petrol station and spread to neighbouring shops.

With a population of 33,000 inhabitants,Garowe is the capital and third largest city in Puntland after Bossasso and Galkayo, however the city only has one old firetruck that was donated by the town of Bossasso.

The deadly protest comes hours before Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, the president of Somalia’s semi-autonomous northern region, is set to celebrate his first anniversary since coming to power.

Source: Somalilandpress, 9 January 2010

Photo: Horseedmedia

Togo footballers shot in ambush

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LUANDA (Somalilandpress) — Gunmen have fired on a bus carrying Togo’s football team to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, wounding players and reportedly killing the driver.

The attackers machine-gunned the vehicle after it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola’s oil-rich territory of Cabinda.

Rebels who have been fighting for the region’s independence later said they had carried out the attack.

The organisers of the tournament, which starts on Sunday, say it will go ahead.

The Angolan government called the incident an “act of terrorism”.

The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (Flec), which said it carried out the attack, has fought for independence for several decades, but entered a ceasefire in 2006.

In a statement quoted by Portugal’s Lusa news agency, the group said: “This operation is only the start of a series of targeted actions that will continue in all the territory of Cabinda.”

Togo is due to play its first cup game in Cabinda on Monday. The Confederation of African Football confirmed that the tournament would go ahead as planned, despite the violent attack.

Angolan Sports Minister Goncalves Muandumba said security for the competition would be stepped up to guarantee “all the conditions necessary for the success, tranquility and security of the people and their belongings”.

‘Under shock’

Nine people, including at least two players, were wounded during the shooting, reports said. Central defender Serge Akakpo was among those hurt and back-up goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale was also reportedly injured.

Romanian side FC Vaslui confirmed that Mr Akakpo, who joined the club from French side Auxerre last year, was shot and badly injured in the attack. The 22-year-old was out of danger after being struck by two bullets and being treated by doctors, the club said.

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The team’s communications manager was among those seriously wounded in the shooting.

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor was also on the bus but is unhurt. Speaking to the BBC, he described the incident as “one of the worst experiences of his life”.

“I’m still under shock,” Mr Adebayor said. “I was one of those who carried the injured players into the hospital – that is when I realised what was really going on. All the players, everyone was crying, calling their mums, crying on the phone, saying their last words because they thought they’d be dead.”

The bus was travelling to Cabinda from the squad’s training ground in the Republic of Congo when the shooting happened.

“This was an act of terrorism,” Cabinda affairs minister Bento Bembe told Reuters news agency.

Football’s highest governing body, Fifa, said it was troubled by the incident.

“Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, are deeply moved by today’s incidents which affected Togo’s national team, to whom they express their utmost sympathy,” the body said in a statement.

Competition officials said they had not known that the Togolose team had decided to drive directly to Cabinda.

They said they had expected the squad first to fly to the Angolan capital, Luanda, and from there to Cabinda.

Shot ‘like dogs’

The head of the Togolese football federation told AFP news agency that the driver had died.

Togo striker Thomas Dossevi told France’s RMC radio that several players were “in a bad state” after the attack.

CABINDA
Oil-rich province cut off from the rest of Angola by DR Congo
Flec rebels fought for region’s independence
Rebels laid down arms in 2006 but some unrest continues
Angola had dismissed concerns about staging games there

“We were machine-gunned, like dogs,” he said. “At the border with Angola – machine-gunned! I don’t know why. I thought it was some rebels. We were under the seats of the bus for 20 minutes, trying to get away from the bullets.”

The identities of those injured – who also included team staff – have not yet been confirmed.

Togo’s first game in the tournament is due to be against Ghana on Monday.

But midfielder Alaixys Romao told RMC the team was likely to pull out of the 16-nation cup.

“No-one wants to play,” he said. “We’re not capable of it.

“We’re thinking first of all about the health of our injured because there was a lot of blood on the ground.”

Source: BBC, 9 January 2010

2010: Somaliland In Focus – Part I

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HARGEISA, 8 January 2009 (Somalilandpress) – As the new year and the new decade commences, we have countless expectations here in Somaliland. To mention only few, international recognition, better life, economic development, and most importantly, we are impatient to get free and fair elections done.

In this article I will be highlighting the major actions we need to take, emphasizing the threats and opportunities we are facing in a long-ignored corner of the continent-Africa. I will be focusing on three major areas: Political, Economical and social issues.

Politics:

To begin with, we have been through an extremely challenging year, 2009, where the political unrest was a common phenomenon, the worst in 15 years. Thanks to God, we have settled now. In 2010, we are expecting four major elections: the presidential, the local governments and two parliamentary elections (both Elders and Representatives). Thus this will be a tough year and we need to work harder to achieve them all. In one hand, it seems to be impossible to accomplish because we couldn’t held only one election in two years. But on the other hand, it is very much likely that we can attain- considering the recent agreement between the political parities and the dedication of the newly elected Electoral Commission. And all we can say is to be optimistic and hope for the best because “The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy”. Let me also argue the stakeholders to speed up their efforts to take us out of the doubt.

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Similarly, we are waiting the world to look as more closely then before, we have been disregarded for two decades and I believe we have to be taken more seriously at this very year. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is “the right of self determination”, which states that “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. So we did! Why don’t they accept?!

To reaching our goals, we need to strengthen our system of governance, security and foreign policy, and that is what we need to place on the top of our agenda in the new year. Knowing that many countries will come as they admire our unilateral determination and dedication, there is no reason to retreat but move forward.

Lastly, we live in a hostile Horn, where new ways of extremism threaten our existence, meaning we have to be more careful than ever before and make use of the past experiences. Let us all remember that, as Mandella once said, “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere”.

Long life Somaliland,

Thanks for reading………. The other parts are coming soon.

Jama Ismail Noor,
Senior Student
International Horn University,
Hargeisa- Somaliland
Jaamacyare11@hotmail.com

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Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial