Hargeisa is safer than any city in America, that is for sure. But the Yankees, typical of their cockiness, want to just show that they are the Boss. Nothing new here, they do it all over the world. Our interests come first though. We believe a lot of things that have taken us ages to resolve can be resolved with a good and cordial relationship With Washington. And we have a lot of friends who understand Somaliland today than ever before inside Washington's machinery. Obviously, all relationship start from somewhere and this one will start from this "Single Somalia" policy - which obviously has no bearing to reality or has any reflection on what is on the ground - to eventually the real policy of working with Hargeisa, the only entity in the region that is consistently stable, consistently democratic and consistently peaceful. Just because the Americans met with warlords in South Somalia doesn't mean they cannot meet us in Hargeisa. In fact the same guy has met Kenya's President and others in the region. So your point doesn't have any bearing to this. What is important is not the meeting but the outcomes and the outcomes will be fruitful to Somaliland.

@maakhiri1 America's foreign policy is the only thing that you shouldn't bet on it, as far as America is concerned. This single-Somalia policy doesn't reflect reality on the ground. And they will realise it as soon as they establish themselves on the ground. Resolving the Palestinian and Israeli conflict will look like a walk in the park than putting Somalia and Somaliland together again. That said, a lot of work is going on inside Washington and this is the first steps of a long fruitful relationship. The plan is for the US to establish an office which is model after the UK's office in Hargeisa, that way Hargeisa and Washington will have a direct diplomatic channel.

Btw, I don't report day to day news about Somaliland these days. I tent to post other things that may not be making the headlines.

Anyone who is privy to how America works understand that this is business as usual. There are two forces that shape America's foreign policy, it is the Depart of State which is tasked for Foreign Policy but also to a large part the Depart of Defence. The tug of war between these two camps sometimes is by design, the two camps play "Good Cop/Bad Cop" as far as foreign policy is concerned. The DoD in this instance is fully behind in dealing with Somaliland directly. However, the Department of State wants to dance around for a while before accepting the reality.

Dawladnimo qooto qooto ah. The whole of South Somalia's understanding of Government is "igu-sawir" and "Fake it til you make it". Ethiopia's Prime Minister had to take the tough decision to close down half of all the Embassies around the world, due to hard currency shortages in his country. Raganimo!!! Whereas Somalia cannot even afford tickets and yet they have empty-shells as embassies around in the world. Just b/c "Wali waa nool nahay". Somalia also attends in the United Nations meetings yet they are not allowed to vote, because they did not pay the membership fees for a long time.

"Tikidhada waxaan ka sii qaadan jirnay ganacsato Soomaali ah oo iyaguba danyar ah. Markii ay denytaa gaartay 100 kun oo dollar, anigu damiirkeyga wuu isiin waayay in aan sii wado," ayuu hadalkiisa raaciyay. BBC Somali Link Wasiir hore oo Soomaali ah: "Si aan habbooneyn ayaa xilkii wasiirnino la iiga qaaday"

My goodness. He has all the appearances of a good honest man but rotten to the bone. Typical of South Somalia politician. Don't let the appearances deceit you.

@Maakhiri Tahriib has always been an option for Somalilanders. Back in 1980s, majority of youth used to migrate to the Arabian Gulf for work and better life. Yes, today the situation is very different as the migratory patterns have changed. But still if they think they can establish a better life somewhere else, go for it. The Government has limited options available to cater to all the needs of the youth. No one is denying that. However, there are plans to change it. @Arafaat Mass migration is a new phenomenon of today's age. There are many root causes including conflicts and economic situations. The Somalis make up very small portion of the migration trade these days. The number have significantly came down. However, in Somaliland, the economic migration is the only cause. It has been the same cause that forced many youth in the 1980s as well as before that even during the British Protectorate days. I don't think it will slow down anytime soon, as it is engraved into the fabric of society. There is a saying in Somaliland "Bartii yaqaan, bar uma korodho" which means if you stay too long in place, you won't gain anything of life long lesson or economic improvement for yourself. You need to move around and test the waters far and away. Youth Migration, you measure the net affect not the individual circumstances. As far as Somaliland is concerned, it has been a net gain.

Idiris' final remarks included two topics of great interest to Somaliland and Somalilanders. That is 'Search for Recognition' and 'Youth Migration/Tahriib'. His comments strikes a accord with me. I have the same world view as the old guard. Recognition is not everything. Just look at our neighborhood? You have failed and close to failed states all around us. That tells you a seat at the UN doesn't mean much. And that is where Mujaahid Businessman Idiris wants to try to convey to the Somalilanders. Somalilanders instead should focus on development and making friends with like minded countries and states that have mutual interest. If we can get along and make business with another country, we will find ways to achieve that. Simple. The other issue regarding Tahriib is also an issue that is in the blood and bone of Somalilanders. Our country has history in Tahriib. Our nomads travelled the world over, they were the first to go cross the seven seas on top of the famous British Steam Ships - at one point the super power of the seas during the Industrial era. Our nomads at one stage made up of second biggest ethnicity in British Docklands and Shipyards working both as sailors and Stevedoring services. We have established communities in the traditional sea-fearing ports of the world including Wales and England as well as Bombay and beyond. So Tahriib is not something new, it is a passage. We should welcome it and let the youth suffer and survive and learn at the same time. That is way our forefathers did it.

@Khadafi Say what you want my brother. No holds. This is a discussions forum anyway. Cheers.

As Russia is pushed out of North of Kharkiv, fighting moving to the border with Russia now. Around 26,350 Russian troops killed, says Ukraine Russia has lost 26,350 troops since it invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said in its latest update. Ukraine claims the total losses from Russia are: 1,187 tanks 2,856 armoured combat vehicles 528 artillery systems 185 multiple launch rocket systems eight air defence systems 199 aircraft 160 helicopters 290 unmanned aerial vehicles 94 cruise missiles 12 ships or boats 1,997 motor vehicles and tank trucks 41 special equipment units The BBC has not been able to independently verify these claims.

@Khadafi What are you talking about? Too much nonsense. Be concise and to the point. And use paragraphs. I wasn't aware that Xassan's wife was from Somaliland. That is news to me. They have money to gamble but have no money to help their drought affected people. Heartlessness.

At one time, the richest people in East Africa were all from the IQ clan. From Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. The richest men were all from Somaliland. For example, the richest man in Ethiopia was Xoogsade, the man who pioneered the Coffee trade in Ethiopia. His business grew so big that the Marxist dictator Mengistu nationalised it in 1986. Somaliland born, Kenyan business tycoon Mr. Idiris here talks about how he bankrolled the SNM. This is the stuff of Hollywood movies. Can't wait to see a feature film based on the SNM's heroic history.

I listened to Hassan Cali Khayre's speech, it wasn't bad. He made some good points. However, his comments about starting serious talks with Somaliland had me scratching my head. Under his Prime Ministerialship, he left no stone unturned to try to isolate Somaliland and stop all links with International Community. His Planning Minister even wrote to the UK and requested the UK to stop funding the Somaliland Development Fund. That is not all, he spent days begging the United Arab Emirates to stop its investments in Somaliland. Even went to meet the Dubai Sheikh in person to try to make his government relevant to the DP World deal. He requested for him to even sign the papers only to show that his gov't was involved somehow in someway. The UAE officials rejected completely. Somalilanders are particularly inward looking people who spend majority of their time talking about their internal politics and seldomly looking outside Somaliland. But when they are challenged, Somaliland respond. Somaliland has tremendously achieved a lot more in terms of its external relationship than it did in the 10 years before 2017. So for Hassan Ali Khaire to come on the podium and exclaim that he will make everything easy for Somaliland, if he is elected President of Somalia. It is a realisation that playing hardball does not work with Somaliland.

Someone is spending $300,000 per vote. Only Qatar and UAE come to mind. For most so called MPs, this is exactly why they wanted to join the parliament, to make a killing out of selling votes. The future of Somalia is being decided in the next few days. Someone will emerge who will be beholden to a foreign power.

Although you can travel from one corner of Somaliland to the other side, you may still not come back alive or in one piece. The mines that were planted by the Somalia dictator in the remotest of areas and off roads still harm many people. There are area that you are just not going to risk going or else. The deadliest roads takes into account one of the most mined areas in Somaliland, which is the Gabiley region. The documentary is from 2010.

The new Speaker of Parliament has rejected Farmaajo's 16 MPs that were s/elected in Garbahaaray in favour of those s/elected in Kenyan soil. This completes and brings to a fitting end to this farce of a parliament.

Muse Hirsi talks about how they landed the only military cargo plane that Somalia Airforce owned which was flying to Hargeisa with full of munitions and chemical weapons, in Djibouti. He also talks about how he escaped from Jazeera massacre in Mogadishu.

My idea of South Somalia is that "never take anything on face value". Whereas in Somaliland, what you see is all you get - totally the opposite. In South Somalia, the Sheekh who is leading the prayers is not really there for the sake of Allah - he is there just because at the point in his life that is how he is going to achieve his interest, when he finds something better that can help achieve his interests they will jump ship. Sheekhii oo jeegada xiirtay ayaa maalinta danbe la kulmaysa. Belo ku dishay. Back in the mid 2010s or early 2000s, there were so many TV shows about collecting Mosque sadaqa. "Sajaayad iibso, hor ilaahay u iibso, aakhiro gayso..." All the presenters of this scam are from South Somalia. Unsuspecting Northern people would call in their hundreds "Waxaan iibsaday 10 sajaayadood, hooyaday oo dhimatay 50 sajayadood ayaan u niyooday..." and so on. It wasn't until very recently the Northerners realised that it is all scam.

Waayeelka ‘kitaabbada xooray’ si uu caan uga noqdo Tiktok - BBC News Somali WWW.BBC.COM Shariif wuxuu bilaabay in uu iska duubo muuqaalo qoob kaciyaar ah, kuwa uu dadka madadaalinayo, iyo kuwa uu riwaayado jilayo.

Here is an interesting interview taken in 1994 in Djibouti. A master orator. His answer to the question about "What if the Somali People made you their President" youtube timestamp 23 minutes, shows how he is head and shoulders above. You cannot slide a gotcha question to a master like late AUN Egal. His answer is still relevant to this very day. The day AMISOM leaves South Somalia, is the day a second round of civil war ensues.

The dead have not even been collected yet, but ATMIS's base now being looted by the locals.