What they said about the SL Elections

[Suldaanka]

Leaders of IRI’s Delegation in Somaliland Discuss the Presidential Election

June 27, 2010

 

IRI had a 19-member delegation of election monitors in Somaliland to monitor the June 26 presidential election that was co-led by IRI board members Richard S. Williamson, former United Nations Ambassador and Presidential Special Envoy for Sudan; and Constance Berry Newman, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and former U. S. Agency for International Development Assistant Administrator for Africa. Representatives from the Czech Republic, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, Sierra Leone, Serbia, Spain and the United States traveled to Somaliland to monitor voting and ballot counting throughout the country.

 

Ambassador Williamson discusses the importance of the election the findings of IRI’s delegation

 

 

Also of interest Somaliland Holds Credible Presidential Election

[Suldaanka]

Rune Aale-Hansen, Chief Information Officer of Norway’s Høyre Party;

 

The Honorable Sophia Abdi Noor, member of the Kenyan Parliament;

 

The Honorable Aminu Bello Masari, former Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives;

 

Ambassador Ramón Gil-Casares Satrústegui, former Spanish Ambassador to South Africa and former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs;

 

Dr. J. Peter Pham, Senior Fellow and Director of the Africa Project at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, and non‐resident Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies;

 

Ambassador Lange Schermerhorn, former U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti;

 

Petr Sokol, Secretary of the Czech Republic’s Civic Democratic Party Group at the European Parliament; and

 

Dr. Christiana Thorpe, Chairwoman of Sierra Leone’s National Electoral Commission.

[Suldaanka]

This is a great achievement for the people of Somaliland, and an example to the region, including particularly to the people of neighbouring Somalia. How can the UK, the European Union, and of course the African Union, best demonstrate their friendship for Somalilanders and their admiration for the free, peaceful and democratic elections they have staged? Many people would like to see Somaliland's independence re-recognised, and if the newly elected President raises the matter, lets hope the AU will give him a sympathetic hearing

 

Lord Avebury, UK Liberal Democrat,

source

[Suldaanka]

Peaceful presidential election in Somaliland compels a positive response from the international community

 

Charles Tannock MEP endorses comments by UK government minister and EU diplomats on breakaway region's vote

 

The recent peaceful, free and fair presidential elections in the breakaway region of Somaliland underline the importance of reconsidering Somaliland's desire for official re-recognition as a sovereign independent state, ECR Group spokesman on foreign affairs Dr Charles Tannock MEP said today as he congratulated the winner, President-elect Ahmed Mahmoud Silanyo

 

Source

ecrgroup.eu

[Suldaanka]

The people of Somaliland once again demonstrated their sense of responsibility and commitment to maintaining the peace and stability of the country as well as its on-going democratization. The Somaliland political parties have also remained true to this high standard of citizenship demonstrated by their people. It does not matter who has prevailed in the election. The winners are the people of Somaliland and they need to be congratulated.

 

Source

MFA Ethiopia

[Saalax]

Interesting.