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

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How to Apply for the 2021 Taiwan Scholarship sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of R.O.C.(Taiwan)

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Staff
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Preface:

To encourage outstanding international students to undertake degree studies (undergraduate, master, or doctoral degree) in Taiwan, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) offers the Taiwan Scholarship Program.

Application period:

From 1 February to 31 March 2021.

Award Value:

  • Scholarship recipients will be given a monthly stipend of NT$25,000 (around US$860) for the Mandarin Language Enrichment Program (LEP) and NT$30,000 (around US$1000) for degree programs.
  • Recipients are responsible for all expenses during their stay in Taiwan. MOFA will not provide any other subsidies. MOFA will, however, provide recipients with one-way, economy-class plane tickets for direct flights to and from Taiwan.

Duration of Scholarships:

The award period for each program is as follows:

  1. Pre-degree LEP: one year.
  2. Degree programs:
  3. Undergraduate program: four years maximum
  4. Maser’s program: two years maximum
  5. Doctoral program: four years maximum

Award periods must be continuous, with no breaks, and cannot exceed a total of five years.

Eligibility:

  • An applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
  • Must be Somaliland citizen.
  • Is a high school graduate or above with an excellent academic record, of good moral character and has no criminal record.
  • Has never attended an educational institution in Taiwan at the same level of degree or LEP that he/she intends to apply for.
  • Is not an exchange student through any cooperation agreement between a foreign university/college and an educational institute in Taiwan while receiving the scholarship.
  • Has not previously had a Scholarship revoked by an ROC government agency or other relevant institution.

Checklist:

The following documents are required before the application can be processed:

  1. A completed application form through CANDIDATE’S BIO-DATA FORM (moe.gov.tw)
  2. A copy of highest-level diploma or certificate and official complete grade transcript (if in languages other than English, an English translation should be provided).
  3. Proof of application to university or Pre-degree LEP in Taiwan.
  4. A photocopy of a TOEFL transcript, a certificate of English proficiency approved by Somaliland government, or documents to certify that the applicant has graduated from a program taught in English.
  5. Study plan.
  6. Two letters of recommendation.
  7. Photocopy of applicant’s passport or proof of nationality.

The application package should be delivered to the Ministry of Education and Science, Somaliland (Receiver: Mr. Mohamed Jama Robleh, Director of univerities ; Email:directorhei@hotmail.com)

  • Please note:
  • The applicants need to get the admission first and then qualified to be awarded the scholarship.
  • The applicants can’t double apply another scholarship like TaiwanICDF Scholarship.

For more information, please visit Guidelines for the MOFA Taiwan Scholarship Program

Contact person: Abdirahman Omar Email: taiwaninsomaliland@gmail.com

Taiwan Unveils Education Scholarships for Somaliland Students

By
Staff
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The Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland together with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has announced two scholarships for Somaliland students – Taiwan Scholarship and the TaiwanICDF Scholarship.

Cooperation on education one of the areas covered by the Bilateral Protocol Convention signed by Somaliland and Taiwan in February 2020.

Ambassador Allen C. Lou in his opening remark at the announcement of the two scholarships congratulated Somaliland on its major diplomatic victory in Nairobi “First of all, I would like to congratulate Somaliland to achieve such a huge accomplishment with Kenya. It marks another milestone in the relationship between Somaliland and Kenya following the signing of a joint communique by President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Musa Bihi Abdi of Somaliland. Congratulations (Hambalyo! Hambalyo!Hambalyo!).

“The good news today is that Taiwan is to provide scholarships to Somaliland students so that we can build dreams through education together.” Ambassador Lou continued.

Hon. Liban Yusuf Osman, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs who spoke at the event highlighted the importance of developing human capital to supercharge Somaliland’s development and the need for transparency in ensuring the scholarships are awarded for the most deserving students.

The application period for the scholarships is January 1 to 15 March 2021 and will be coordinated by the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland together with the Ministries of Education and Science and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The scholarships which cover undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels are fully funded by the Government of Taiwan.

Details on the scholarships and how to apply are available here and here.

How to Apply for the 2021 TaiwanICDF (International Cooperation and Development Fund) Scholarship

By
Staff
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Preface:

To encourage outstanding international students to undertake degree studies (Undergraduate, Master or Ph.D. Programs) in Taiwan, TaiwanICDF offers the International Higher Education Scholarship Program.

Application period:  

January 1 to 15 March 2021

Scholarship Benefits:

Scholarship recipients will be given a monthly allowance of NT$12,000 (US$420) for the Undergraduate program, NT$15,000 (US$526) for Master’s program and NT$17,000 (US$596) for Ph. D. program for food and miscellaneous living expenses. Recipients must reside in student dormitories. TaiwanICDF will cover tuitions fees, Textbooks (required by instructors and approved by the director of student’s institute), credits fees (vary with the number of credits registered), insurance fees for accident and medical coverage and one-way, economy-class plane tickets for direct flights to and from Taiwan.

Duration of Scholarship

The award period for each program is as follows

  • Undergraduate program: four years maximum.
  • Master’s program: two years maximum. (The applicants who would like to major in ICT, Healthcare, Agriculture, Blue Economy, Security are preferable)
  • Ph. D. program: four years maximum.

Eligibility

  • An applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
  • Must be Somaliland citizen.
  • Is a high school graduate or above with an excellent academic record, of good moral character and has no criminal record.
  • Satisfy the admission requirements of the partner university to which he or she has applied to study under TaiwanICDF scholarship.
  • Meet the Regulations Governing Resident Visa, and an Aliens Resident Certificate set by ROC (Taiwan) Government.
  • Not hold any other ROC(Taiwan) government-sponsored scholarship in the same academic year in which the TaiwanICDF scholarship would be due to commerce.
  • Is not an exchange student through any cooperation agreement between a foreign university/college and an educational institute in Taiwan while receiving the scholarship.
  • Has not previously had a Scholarship revoked by a ROC government agency or other relevant institution, nor been expelled from any Taiwan university.

Checklist:

The following documents are required before the application can be processed:

  1. A photocopy of the applicant’s passport or other document showing proof of nationality.
  2. A photocopy of the applicant’s highest-level diploma and academic transcripts.
  3. A photocopy of the applicant’s English proficiency certificate. (This means a TOEFL test score or that of another recognized English proficiency exam, or documents certifying that the applicant has graduated from a program where all courses were taught in English).
  4. Two letters of reference.
  5. Documents required by the TaiwanICDF partner university that they are applying to before the admissions deadline of that university.

The application package should be delivered to the Ministry of Education and Science, Somaliland (Receiver: Mr. Mohamed Jama Robleh, Director of universities; Email:directorhei@hotmail.com)

Application Procedure (Global Competition):

  • Complete the TaiwanICDF International Higher Education Scholarship Program Online Application: http://web.icdf.org.tw/ICDF_TSP/WelcomeStart.aspx 
  • Submit the required documents to the Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Somaliland (Receiver: Mr. Mohamed Jama Robleh, Director of univerities; Email:directorhei@hotmail.com). Applicants must ensure that they submit accurate and complete documentation; failure to do so will result in the application not being processed. Please also note: Late submissions will not be accepted and/or processed.
  • Submit all documents required by the TaiwanICDF partner university that they are applying to before the admission deadline of that university. For detailed information on such documents, please refer to: Study Programs Available for TaiwanICDF Scholarship Application at Partner Universities and the related websites of each study program for further admission information. More information about each of the programs offered in 2021 will be available later. It was suggested to refer to the individual websites of the programs in 2020 at the moment.

Please note:

  • The applicants need to get the admission first and then qualified to be awarded the scholarship under the principle of Global Competition.
  • The applicants can’t double apply another scholarship like Taiwan Scholarship.

For more information, please visit TaiwanICDF International Higher Education Scholarship Program

Contact person: Abdirahman Omar Email: taiwaninsomaliland@gmail.com

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

By
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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Staff
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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. 

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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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Staff
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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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Staff
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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
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