Somaliland: Foreign Minister Thanks Political Parties

[Jacaylbaro]

Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale today 14 October, thanked all Somaliland political parties, as well as the friends of Somaliland for their well spirited engagement and support.

 

“The Somaliland Government brings to the attention of the international community that it affirms that a free, fair and peaceful Somaliland elections are now possible. Clearly, this will be possible under the condition that the recently signed six-point agreement is faithfully implemented”, he said

 

“Currently, the restructuring of the Somaliland National Electoral Commission is presently underway under specific selection criteria”, he added.

 

In this context, Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale, “thanked all Somaliland political parties for encouraging a home-grown consensus agreement. Our friends, especially Minister Dr. Tekeda Alemu of Ethiopia for his lead mediating role and the supportive partnership of the United Kingdom. The African Union Special Envoy, Mr. Nicholas Bwakira and the UN Special Envoy, Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, for their visits to Hargeisa and timely advice.”

 

We are particularly encouraged by the Federal Democratic Government of Ethiopia’s statement of 28 August 2009, that “Somaliland’s success—no matter how impressive it may have been—should not be taken for granted,” and the African Union’s statement that “the African Union in consultation with the international community is available to assist all parties in Somaliland to reach an amicable solution or common understanding, as part of its overall efforts to promote peace, security and stability in Somalia".

 

Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale concluded his statement:

 

“We call on friendly countries to energetically champion the case of Somaliland within IGAD and the African Union. Indeed, the unsettled international status of Somaliland severely restricts our people from effectively transacting with the world in order to advance our development and post-war reconstruction goals. Currently, the high-levels of unemployment lead to many of our youth to migrate to neighboring countries, as far as South Africa, the EU and USA, and sadly many end up joining groups with a terrorist agenda”

 

“We hope that this brisk sprit of engagement with Somaliland by the friends of Somaliland and multi-lateral institutions will continue with the same sense of urgency, to advance Somaliland’s stability and a better future for its children, in the inter-connected interests of regional and world peace and security ”.

 

 

 

Issued by

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Hargeisa, Somaliland

14 October 2009