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In what has become a familiar scene in Somaliland's...

Ex-US Ambassador to Somalia Lobbies for Hormuud’s Access to American Banking System

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Questions mount as André partners with Somali MP who...

Major Corruption Allegations Rock Somaliland Finance Ministry’s Recruitment for World Bank’s Public Resource Management Project

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Taiwan to provide scholarship to Somaliland students: Building dreams through education

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Staff
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NEWS RELEASE

Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland held a press conference on 16th of December 2020 in the Republic of Somaliland for announcing how to apply for the Taiwan Scholarship and the TaiwanICDF Scholarship. H. E. Ambassador Allen C. Lou, Representative of Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland hosted the press conference. Hon. Liban Yusuf Osman, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with Hon. Ahmad Hassan Nour, Vice Minister of Education and Science and his Director General Prof. Ahmed Muse Murud, jointly attended the event and witnessed the milestone of education cooperation between Taiwan and Somaliland. Colleagues from concerned Ministries also joined this function.

Today’s press conference was the follow-up of the signing of the Bilateral Protocol Convention by H. E. Dr. Jaushieh Joseph Wu, Foreign Minister of the ROC (Taiwan), and H. E. Prof. Yasin Hagi Mohamoud, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Somaliland on 26 February 2020. Education Cooperation is one of the cooperation fields emphasized in the Bilateral Protocol Convention. Ambassador Allen C. Lou announced that Somaliland students could apply for the said two Scholarships in the application period. (Detailed information will be posted at the Office Facebook and Twitter-Taiwan in Somaliland).

Since human resources development plays a vital role in the capacity-building of the nation, the Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland will coordinate and cooperate with the Somaliland concerned Ministries to choose the outstanding Somaliland students through an effective and efficient mechanism. All these efforts are the reflection of Taiwan’s commitments and will to uplift Somaliland’s capability through EDUCATION cooperation.

Deputy Minister Liban and DG Murud both emphasized that Somaliland students should benefit from the Scholarships sponsored by Taiwan Government, and it is highly expected that these students will become “cornerstones” to contribute to Somaliland once they complete their studies in Taiwan. Participants today also enjoyed watching the videos recorded by Somaliland students who studied in Taiwan to share their experiences.

How corrupt is Somalia?

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According to Transparency International Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country in the whole world.

“. . . Not all governments are looking out for the best interests of their citizens. In fact, many countries have been caught up in political scandals and corruption. Some have even had such a history of corruption, that it has caused political unrest against its citizens. While there isn’t a surefire way to measure corruption within a nation, there are data that can be used to rank countries that are seen as the most corrupt. For instance, the Corruption Perceptions Index, which was originally launched in 1995, uses expert assessments and opinion surveys to determine how corrupt a country is. The CPI defines corruption as “the misuse of public power for private benefit. ”Through this re- port, 180 countries are ranked on a scale from 0 to 100. The lower the score, the more corrupt a country is perceived to be. As of October 2018, the 2017 report was the latest to be released. It was released on February 21, 2018. Through this survey, it is reported that Somalia is the most corrupt country in the world, receiving a score of just 9 out of 100” (Transparency International).

The Xinhua News Agency reported on October 29, 2018, that the Somali Government approved 340 million U.S dollars for the 2018/2019 financial year (Xinhua News Agency). The balk of the budget was secured from international donors, while a fraction of that came from domestic tax revenue collected from residents of Mogadishu since the control of the federal government is confined in the city limits of the capital.

On October 3, 2018, Voice of America reported, “Al-Shabab and pro-Islamic State militants in Somalia are engaged in an economic war, and it is the country’s business sector that is getting cut down in the crossfire.- Somali businessmen and analysts say the rival Islamist groups are targeting companies to an unprecedented degree with demands for so-called taxes. Al-Shabab has already strong-armed business owners for years to finance its war against the Somali government and African peacekeepers who protect it. Now, al-Shabab is stepping up its demands, and pro-IS groups are apparently trying to fund its own activities by copying Shabab’s tactics of pay up-or- pay the consequences” (Maruf).

Unfortunately, the Somali business community are between rock and hard place and are facing major difficulties in keeping up a profitable business since they are being double at times triple taxed by the government and the two rival terrorist groups.

In the Aid Flow Data Analysis Chart of 2017 from UNDP, there are two kinds of partners: reporting and non-reporting. The aid flow from non-reporting partners comes from Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, and others. Non-reporting partners’ funds are not accounted for and are not recorded in the national treasury, therefore are subject to widespread corruption and bribery as these funds are off the books.

The funds from the reporting partners are entered into the AIMS (Somali Aid Information Management System) — a newly adopted financial accounting system. On the other hand, the non-reporting partners’ funds (dark money) is utilized to buy loyalty or to buyout undesirable regional leaders. They are currently planning to declare a national state of emergency in order to justify and extend the upcoming election beyond the intended date of 2020.

The dark money is usually carried in suitcases (mafia style) on airplanes to be disbursed whenever they find it necessary.

Farmajo is currently engaged in an all-out war against two member states (Gal-Mudug and Jubaland) in order to forge loyal heads of states, by any means necessary, even if it involves loss of lives as was the case in the south-western region – Baidoa. It is obvious that Farmajo is employing the same tactics as the former dictator “modus operandi.”

The international donors and stake-holders must pay close attention and ensure that the Somali government is disclosing all funds it receives both from reporting and non-non-reporting partners.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mohamed Adan Samatar is a Former State of Arizona Government Management and holds BSc, MS Agriculture. He can be reached adan.samatar01[@]gmail.com

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle, and its staff. 

Creative Commons License

Notice: This article by Somaliland Chronicle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Under this license, all reprints and non-commercial distribution of this work is permitted.

JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED BY HIS EXCELLENCY UHURU KENYATTA, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AND HIS EXCELLENCY MUSE BIHI ABDI, PRESIDENT OF SOMALILAND ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO KENYA FROM 13TH TO 14TH DECEMBER, 2020

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At the invitation of His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Muse Bihi Abdi, President of Somaliland made an Official Visit to Kenya from 13th to 14th December, 2020.

The Presidents re-affirmed their unwavering commitment to deepen the cordial bilateral relations between Kenya and Somaliland. They noted with deep satisfaction that the cooperation between Kenya and Somaliland lay on a foundation of shared values and principles aimed at fostering sustainable peace, stability, sustained growth, and shared prosperity. In this regard, they committed to strengthen and deepen the cooperation between Kenya and Somaliland.

The Presidents affirmed that leaders have a responsibility to secure peace and stability in the region, to enable the people to pursue social economic development and stability. In this regard, the two leaders acknowledged Somaliland has over the years remained peaceful and stable, owing to commitment to democratic ideals and the establishment of strong governance institutions. Kenya and Somaliland would continue to work together to promote peace and stability, and in pursuit of shared prosperity.

During their discussions, the leaders focused their attention on expansion of bilateral trade, enhancing collaboration in air transport including enabling direct flights between Nairobi and Hargeisa, as well as cooperating in Agriculture, Livestock development, Education, Energy and cooperation between the ports of Mombasa and Berbera.

The Presidents directed their respective senior officials to work together to develop a general cooperation framework agreement to:
i) Deepen existing cordial people-to-people relations;
ii) Promote and diversify trade and investments;
iii) Enhance security cooperation and information sharing to combat terrorism, cybercrimes and organized transnational crimes;
iv) Enhance cooperation in various sectors including Agriculture, Livestock development, Education, Energy and Transport; and,
v) Promote Training and capacity building.

To effect the commitments made, the two leaders agreed to the following timelines for implementation of a number of activities:
i. Kenya to open its Consulate in Hargeisa by end of March 2021. Somaliland would also upgrade its Liaison Office in Nairobi within the same timeframe.
ii. Kenya Airways and other Kenyan airlines to commence direct flights between Nairobi and Hargeisa by end of March, 2021.
iii. Senior officials on a pre-determined list and travelling to Kenya on Somaliland travel documents to apply for e-visa and receive visa on arrival by end of March, 2021;
iv. Senior Officials from Kenya and Somaliland to agree on details and timelines for enhancing technical cooperation, including implementation of Exchange Programmes involving Students, Agricultural Officers, Doctors, Nurses and other professionals.

The two Leaders pledged to continue to work together in safeguarding peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region. They noted that Al-Shabaab continues to pose significant threat to the region. In this regard, they called for a robust international engagement and support for efforts to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa.

The two leaders acknowledged Kenya’s commitment to a peaceful, stable, strong and prosperous Somalia, in which the voices of all the people of Somalia have opportunity to express their sovereign will.

At the conclusion of the Official Visit, His Excellency President Muse Bihi Abdi, expressed gratitude to His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta and the people of Kenya, for the progress made in deepening bilateral relations during the visit, as well as the warm welcome and generous hospitality accorded to him and his delegation.

His Excellency President Kenyatta wished His Excellency President Muse Bihi Abdi good health and long life; and, Peace and Stability to the people of Somaliland.

STATE HOUSE, NAIROBI.
15TH DECEMBER, 2020.

Somalia Severs Diplomatic Ties with Kenya

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In a statement read on Somali National Television by the Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Mr. Osman Dubbe, the Federal Government of Somalia announced that it has cut diplomatic ties with Kenya for what it called constant meddling of its internal affairs and has recalled all its diplomats in Kenya and ordered Kenyan diplomats to leave Somalia in 7 days.

The announcement follows a now-deleted statement made by the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Twitter that condemned the invitation extended to the President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi by the Kenyan President Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta.

“The irrelevant statement from the failed administration of Somalia, shows nothing but only failure and irresponsibility. The Republic of Somaliland and The Republic of Kenya are two independent countries which has the rightful decision to strengthen their mutual relationship.” Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the statement from Somalia.

Although the statement issued by the Federal Government of Somalia at 2:00 AM did not mention President Bihi’s visit to Nairobi and meeting with Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, Somalia in the past has cut diplomatic ties with the West African Nation of Guinea Conakry following a similar visit by President Bihi in June 2019.

It is unclear if Somalia’s severing of diplomatic ties with Kenya extends to the Kenyan Defense Forces serving in Somalia under the internationally mandated AMISOM mission.

Mr. Osman Dubbe who announced Villa Somalia’s decision to cut diplomatic ties with Kenya is originally from Somaliland and has been in his current post for two months. His predecessor Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Maareeye) and the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Khadar Mahdi are also from Somaliland and the latter has held a post in Somaliland’s National Election Commission.

So far Kenya has not issued a statement or responded to Somalia’s severing of diplomatic ties but Presidents Bihi and Kenyatta are scheduled to hold a second round of talks today and a communique on the talks and areas of cooperation between the two countries is expected.

Possible Outcomes of President Bihi’s Meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta

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Staff
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The President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi met with the Kenyan President Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta behind closed doors for at least two hours. According to sources, the two Presidents rejoined their teams and continued discussions of areas of cooperation. President Muse Bihi Abdi has arrived in Nairobi Sunday on a three-day official visit

President of Kenya Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta welcomes President Bihi in Nairobi.

Sources add that areas of cooperation between Somaliland and Kenya will be further hashed out in a meeting tomorrow and will possibly include a Kenyan Representative Office in Somaliland, a direct flight of Kenyan Airways to Hargeisa, visa on arrival for government officials on Somaliland passport, security cooperation, and exchange of information. Kenya currently maintains a liaison office in Somaliland.

The President’s delegation is scheduled to meet with the leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister Mr. Raila Odinga this evening. Mr. Odinga has spoken favorably regarding Somaliland’s case for recognition.

Although it did not refer to the invitation of Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi by President Uhuru Kenyatta, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign has sent a tweet stating that it had sued Kenya in IGAD and has since deleted it to reworded the tweet.

It is unclear if the Somali Federal government will completely sever its frayed diplomatic ties with Kenya due to its overtures to Somaliland. Although it did not have diplomatic ties with Guinea Conakry, Somalia has cut diplomatic ties with the West African nation following an official visit from President Bihi in June 2019.

President Bihi in Guinea Conakry

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s invitation to President Bihi comes at a low point for Somalia and Kenya’s bilateral ties where the two countries have withdrawn their respective ambassadors following an accusation by Somalia that Kenya has meddled in its internal affairs despite Kenya having a large contingent of its armed formed deployed in Somalia as part of AMISOM. Regional analysts believe that the Somali President Mohamed Abdillahi Farmajo is using the conflict with Kenya for his reelection bid.

President Bihi Heading to Nairobi on Official Visit

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A delegation led by the President of the Republic of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi Abdi will leave for Nairobi in the coming days on an official invitation by the Kenyan government. This will be President Bihi’s first visit to Kenya since taking office in 2017.

The delegation accompanying the President will include the Minister of Interior, Hon. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Yasin Hagi Mohamoud Hiir (Faratoon), the Minister of Environment and Rural Development Hon. Shukri Haji Bandari, and the Minister of Investments Hon. Minister of Investment Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud.

Multiple high-ranking government officials have confirmed President Bihi’s visit to Kenya and added that the President of Kenya Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta has invited the delegation from Somaliland. Sources add that President Bihi will meet with the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta but declined to comment if the invitation from Kenyatta outlined areas of discussion between the two Presidents. It is unclear if the visit by President Bihi will result in the establishment of formal ties between Somaliland and Kenya.

This follows recent visits by the Minister of Interior Hon. Mohamed Kahin Ahmed and the Minister of Investments Hon. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud (Awad) to Nairobi. It is unclear if their visits were part of the preparation for President Bihi’s visit to the Kenyan Capital.

Minister of Investment Hon. Hon. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamoud (Awad) in Nairobi on Dec 6th.

Horn of Africa’s center of gravity has shifted away from Addis Ababa and to Nairobi following Prime Minister of Ethiopia’s war in Tigray. The President-Elect of the United States Mr. Joseph R Biden has spoken to President Kenyatta regarding the Horn of Africa.

In the Past, members of Somaliland government, opposition leaders and other politicians have met with Kenyan legislators and opposition figures in Nairobi.

Soldiers of the Kenyan Contingent serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) stand in front of the black flag of the Al Qaeda-affiliated extremist group Al Shabaab painted on the wall of Kismayo Airport. On 02 October 2012, Kenyan AMISOM troops supporting forces of the Somali National Army and the pro-government Ras Kimboni Brigade moved into and through Kismayo, the hitherto last major urban stronghold of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated extremist group Al Shabaab, on their way to the city's airport without a shot being fired following a month long operation to liberate towns and villages across southern Somalia from Afmadow and Kismayo itself. AU-UN IST PHOTO / STUART PRICE.
KDF forces serving with AMISOM in Kismayo, Somalia

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s invitation to President Bihi comes at a low point for Somalia and Kenya’s bilateral ties where the two countries have withdrawn their respective ambassadors following an accusation by Somalia that Kenya has meddled in its internal affairs despite Kenya having a large contingent of its armed formed deployed in Somalia as part of AMISOM. Regional analysts believe that the Somali President Mohamed Abdillahi Farmajo is using the conflict with Kenya for his reelection bid.

Despite lacking international recognition, Somaliland has enjoyed a string of diplomatic successes recently most notably the establishment of bilateral ties with Taiwan in July this year.

Somaliland 2021 Budget – Brief Analysis

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Staff
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On December 8th, The Ministry of Finance Development has submitted the 2021 Budget to the parliament for approval, and officials including the Minister Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire have appeared before the parliament to discuss the budget and its components and the various sources that generate taxes. The 2021 Budget was approved by President Bih’s cabinet on December 5th.

According to the budget, the Somaliland government expects to take in more than 171 billion Somaliland Shillings, a 9% increase from 2020 by fully implementing GST, income and payroll taxes, rolling back tax breaks on basic food and medical necessities import, one of the steps implemented as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the Ministries of Employment and Technology are expected to contribute significantly through employment licenses for foreigners and telecommunication fees.

Another tax the Ministry of Finance Development proposed in the budget a 200 SLSH or 0.023 US Dollars levy per kilo on Khat imports intended to develop programs for mental health issues. Although a National Mental Health is included in the priority areas for 2021, the budget does not state the rate of the proposed levy and exactly how it will be used to curb the rampant mental health issues in Somaliland. Its widely believed that khat consumption contributes significantly to health issues.

Somaliland has imported a whopping 30,594,705 kilograms of khat from Ethiopia from January to September 2020 and has assessed nearly 35 million US dollars in import taxes. Although there was a month-long moratorium on khat import during the month of Ramadan as part of COVID-19 pandemic response, it remains one of Somaliland’s top imports.

Despite a positive outlet for 2021, 96% of the 2021 budget is expected to come from traditional sources of customs and the Inland Revenue Service.

Although the 2021 budget is only 2.6% higher than the previous year, there are major differences where resources have been heavily deallocated from certain ministries such as the Ministry of Commerce and Tourism which seems to have lost 52% of its nearly 6 million dollar budget in 2020.

You can access the 2021 Budget as submitted to Somaliland ParliamentDownload

Exclusive: President Bihi Will Not Support Mayor SOLTELCO’s Bid for Reelection

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According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the subject, President Bihi is concerned with the public perception that he is supporting Mayor of Hargeisa Mr. Abdirahman Mahmoud Aidid SOLTELCO’s bid for a second term. Sources add that the President will not support the mayor’s reelection bid and has grown weary of Mayor SOLTELCO’s frequent media appearances with officials from the Presidency and members of his cabinet.

Although Mayor SOLTELCO has not officially announced his candidacy for a seat in Hargeisa local council and the mayoral seat which is elected among the council members, he has made his intention known in previous interviews and to multiple people.

In addition, Hargeisa Mayor has been actively promising major new development projects for Hargeisa including a new four-lane road at the heart of the capital, the establishment of zip codes and addresses, and breaking ground on two new hospitals in Hargeisa. All projects are said to be a collaboration with the Presidency, the Ministry of Health Development, and other entities including the private company currently managing land records for Hargeisa Municipality – GEOSOL.

Mayor SOLTELCO even met with SWECO a Swedish firm that describes its core business as “plans and designs the sustainable communities and cities of the future. We do this by offering qualified services in the fields of consulting engineering, environmental technology, and architecture.”. The statement on the mayor’s Facebook page about the meeting with SWECO did not specify the reason for the meeting.

The four-lane road jointly announced by the mayor, his deputy, and Office of the President has completely stalled after only a few hundred meters were completed near the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Taiwanese Representative Office in Hargeisa.

According to people briefed on the status of the new road project and why it was halted, the President’s office has halted the project due to the poor craftsmanship and management of what the local municipality has so far built and is seeking other contractors to complete the project without the involvement of the Mayor and the local government. Some prime candidates under consideration include a Chinese company that has been contracted to build the new presidency and the Road Development Agency.

Mr. Abdirahman Mahmoud Aidid SOLTELCO has been the mayor of Hargeisa since 2012 and despite dismissing criticism of his record as a mayor and claims to have completed hundreds of kilometers of roads in Hargeisa, most roads in Hargeisa are in poor condition although the public has, for the most part, contributes a large percent of the cost of road construction.

Efforts to reach officials from the Presidency and the Mayor’s office for comments have been unsuccessful.

President Bihi Discusses Bilateral Ties with Czech Delegation

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A high-level delegation from the Czech Republic led by the Ambassador in Ethiopia Mr. Pavel Mikes arrived in Hargeisa on an official visit and met the President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi and members of his cabinet.

According to the statement, the delegation and President Bihi discussed the official establishment of bilateral ties between the Czech and Somaliland republics and cooperation on commerce, immigration, and development of Somaliland’s education sector particularly skills and vocational training.

The arrival of the Czech delegation comes less than two months after the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Liban Yusuf Osman’s visit to Prague where he met multiple Czech government officials.

The Czech Republic shares many similarities with Somaliland as it became independent in 1993 after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, in addition, it is a close ally of Taiwan and has earned the ire of The People’s Republic of China when a large delegation led by the Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil visited Taiwan and addressed the Taiwanese Parliament.

Efforts to reach Somaliland Presidency for details particularly the potential bilateral ties with the Czech Republic were unsuccessful.

Taiwan and Somaliland Sign a Major Healthcare Cooperation Agreement

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As part of the ICDF Cooperation Framework Agreement by the Republic of Somaliland and ROC (Taiwan) on 17 August 2020, the Ministry of Health Development and Taiwan Technical Mission in Somaliland have signed an agreement on the Maternal and Infant Health Care Improvement Project.

In addition to the healthcare agreement signed today, Taiwan and Somaliland will further cooperate on projects to enhancing the e-Government capability and improve vegetable and fruits production and quality improvement.

According to a statement released by Taiwan’s Representative Office in Somaliland regarding the opening of the Taiwan Technical Mission in Somaliland and the signing of the healthcare agreement, the ICT Implementing Arrangement and Agriculture Implementing Arrangement are expected to be signed in December. The statement added that all of these projects will officially commence on January 1st, 2121.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Liban Yusuf Osman and Ambassador Lou officially open the Taiwan Technical Mission in Somaliland

In his remarks Taiwan’s Ambassador in Somaliland Hon. Allen C. Lou said “The opening ceremony today is the symbol of Taiwan’s strong determination to work with the like-minded partners and natural allies to implement the cooperation projects in Somaliland.”

Continuining his remark, Ambassador Lou described why the Taiwan Model is different than traditional aid and said “Taiwan can help. Taiwan is helping. Taiwan can contribute and has long been contributing on many fronts. Our effort is proudly described as the Taiwan Model. The spirit of the Taiwan Model is: Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. We are ready to share with Somaliland and the East African countries”.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hon. Liban Yusuf Osman who presided over the signing ceremony on behalf of the Somaliland government praised Taiwan for its highly skilled workforce and technological advancement.

The Maternal and Infant Health Care Improvement Project agreement was signed by the Director General of the Ministry of Health Development Dr. Mohammed Abdi Hergeye on behalf of the government of Somaliland and Mr. Mars Shiue, Leader of Taiwan Technical Mission.

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