Somaliland: The International Community Must Be Involved In Any Talks With Somalia.
The recent mission by Turkish envoy, Mr. Olgan Bekar to Somaliland and Somalia has made one thing crystal clear, President Muse Bihi Abdi of Somaliland is not prepared to resume any talks with Somalia without the involvement of the international community.
The proposal that Turkey should be the only arbiter in any further talks between Somaliland and Somalia is a non-starter. This has been tried before and has failed to produce any tangible results. In fact, all of the nascent agreements of the Istanbul Accords have been renegaded on by Somalia.
For example, the agreement to jointly manage the air space of the defunct Somali Republic were blatantly disregarded by the federal entity in Mogadishu, which somehow convinced the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, to transfer operations from Nairobi to Mogadishu. Even though, the federal entity in Mogadishu doesn’t even control the whole of that city, let alone, the air space, it was done without consulting Somaliland.
Now, if a second tier matter like the civil aviation management cannot be agreed upon and Turkey is unable to intercede or enforce the Istanbul accords, what chance does it have of being an impartial arbiter with regard to Somaliland’s restoration of sovereignty and the future relationship between the two countries? The answer is none.
Therefore, the news that Turkey is willing to have Sweden as an additional arbiter, along with the USA, UK, and the European Union as guarantors, is welcome on Somaliland’s part. Unsurprisingly, the federal entity in Mogadishu appears to be opposed to such developments. As are the United Nations and the African Union, which have a huge stake in Somalia and would be marginalized.
So, it would seem that an impasse has been reached, even before the talks about the talks can begin!.
The end game for the politicians in Mogadishu is to delay any talks until, and if, the proposed 2020 “national elections” in Somalia are held. These “elections” are supposed to be based on universal franchise, one person, one vote and you can wager, that even though not a single polling station will be in Somaliland territory, whomsoever emerges victorious, after the usual bribes are paid, will claim that there is no need for talks.
The people of Somaliland know exactly the kind of politicians that claim to make the decisions in Mogadishu. They are unscrupulous, devious and mendacious. A miserable thirty year union and it’s dreadful aftermath has thought Somaliland a lesson it will never forget.
So, let the talks about talks continue, in the meanwhile, Somaliland will continue to march forward.
Allaa Mahad Leh
About the Author Ahmed Kheyre is based in London, UK and can be reached @ ruraledcomm[at]yahoo.co.uk
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff.
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.
DP WORLD INCREASES WATER SUPPLIES TO BERBERA, SOMALILAND
Project adds 60 percent more water to local distribution system
Global trade enabler DP World on Monday launched a new water distribution center that increased the water supply in Berbera, Somaliland, by 60 percent.
The $1 million project started in 2018 and includes four water wells, two shallow pools, two water troughs, a concrete reservoir tank and 7.0 km pipeline connected to the main water supply.
The project, powered by a hybrid solar system and a main generator, also included the construction of a mosque near the water distribution center.
It is designed to lessen water shortages in Berbera and to provide clean drinking water to local people and rural communities in the area. The project is part of DP World’s strategy for the sustainable development in Somaliland as the increased water capacity will be required due to the growth of Berbera catalyzed by DP World’s investment in the port and Special Economic Zone.
Three wells have been handed over to Berbera Municipality with the fourth well and two shallow pools allocated for free drinking water for the local community and their animals.
Since 2017 DP World have improved Berbera Port’s performance by 70% and increased the port capacity by 50%. Currently DP World Berbera is developing local talents and has trained over 2700 Somalilanders in 2018 locally and overseas.
Suhail Al Banna, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of DP World Middle East and Africa, said: “This support for Berbera is part of our commitment to help develop the areas in which we operate, and we are confident this project will have important benefits for many people across the region. We are committed to ensuring everything we do leaves long term benefit for people in Somaliland and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Somaliland authorities and people to help improve the quality of life through key infrastructure and sustainability projects.”
DP World’s initiatives in Somaliland include the sponsorship of 11 schools, a maritime education academy, two hospitals, and a clinic. DP World provided 4.5 million liters of water to the drought committee in Berbera in 2017 to support 15,000 families.
Somaliland Government Does NOT Owe $80 Million. That is Sheer Fabrication – Somaliland’s Minister of Finance Dr. Saad Ali Shire
Following a recent meeting of the Minister of Finance Dr. Saad Ali Shire with National Assets Monitoring Committee of Somaliland Parliament, The Committee chairman Mr. Ibraahim Mahdi Buubaa stated that Somaliland government owes an 80 Million Dollar debt left by the previous administration of former President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Siilaanyo.
There has been unconfirmed reports of massive debt left behind by the previous administration ranging from 80 to as high as 160 millions but there has been no official acknowledgement from Somaliland government and previous Finance Minister Ms Samsam Abdi has vehemently denied the existence of the debt all together.
Somaliland Chronicle has asked the Minister of Finance Dr Saad Ali Shire the following the gain a better of understanding of Mr. Buubaa’s comments regarding the alleged debt.
Somaliland Chronicle: We are seeking clarification about MP Buubaa revelation of the $80 Million Dollar Debt as you did not actually mention it during the press briefing following your meeting with the Parliamentary committee. Can you confirm the former administration has actually left an $80 Million dollar debt and if so, has any of it been repaid?
Minister Shire: In short, the answer is ‘NO’.
But just to give you the context of the press conference. Each year, the law requires the auditor general to audit the national accounts and submit his report to parliament for scrutiny. In that context, the parliamentary committee responsible for overseeing and safeguarding national assets invited me to a meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to share with us the report of the parliamentary committee based on the auditor’s report and their recommendations on 2017 budget. The meeting went very well. We discussed several issues including asset registration, debt management, and fiscal discipline. The amount of debt owed by the government was not discussed; that was not in the auditor’s report and that was not in the parliamentary committee’s report either. Like all governments on earth, our government owes outstanding bills to contractors and suppliers at any time, but it NOT does owe $80 million. That is sheer fabrication.
Mr. Buubaa is a member of the Wadani opposition party and until today has served as the official Spokesman of the party. He has been replaced with Mr. Barkhad Jama Batun.
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.
Transparency Solutions: How Somalia Infiltrated Somaliland
Chances are you may not have heard of Transparency Solutions, but it is one of the largest Non-Governmental Organizations in Somaliland, and has a staff of over a dozen in Hargeisa and across Somaliland.
According to their website, they are a strategic partner of the world renowned University of Bristol in England. Many of the organization’s current and former staffers – including its founder, Mr. Latif Ismail – have worked as Research Associates in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) of Bristol University.
Transparency Solutions’ work is focused on both Somaliland and Somalia, and is a specialist firm in research and sociology studies, but the bulk of their work is on the other side of the border, where many of their staff have gone on to work for the Somali Federal Government. An example is its prominent former alumni Abdi Barud, who currently serves as an Adviser to Somalia’s PM.
In fact, in addition to being a former Transparency Solutions employee, Mr. Barud has also worked at the University of Bristol as a researcher. It is worth noting that Mr. Barud is one of the staunchest anti-Somaliland activists in President Farmajo’s and Prime Minister Khaire’s inner circle.
Mr. Barud is not the only high ranking official in the Somali Federal Government to have worked for Transparancy Solutions, there is also Mr. Liban Obsiye, another unionist originally from Somaliland who has worked with Transparency Solutions. In fact, Mr. Obsiye’s Linkedin profile still lists him as actively working for Transparency Solutions.
For an NGO, Transparency Solutions behaves in a peculiar manner that makes it look a lot more like a shell company than your average run of the mill NGO. It has gone through numerous permutations over the years, and has shut down various entities only to reopen them a short while later with a different name altogether; interestingly with the same two founders Mr. Latif Ismail and Alex Hall (more on Mr. Hall later).
Before Transparency Solutions, there was Transparency Development, which was dissolved on September 15, 2015.
If we begin with Transparency Solutions Limited and its current status in the British companies register (otherwise known as Companies House), it’s easy to access and confirm the openly available information that it has actually been dissolved as of the 15th of January, 2019 via a voluntary strike off.
Voluntary strike off in this case means the company directors Mr. Latif Ismail and Alexander Hall requested the company to be dissolved.
While the voluntary dissolution of an active company is in itself odd, what remains unclear is why it is still operational in Somaliland.
Transparency Solutions founder Mr. Latif Ismail is rather prolific for his relatively short experience in the security sector, and seems to have a lot of connections in the private security industry. Recently, he has been involved with another entity – Horn Risk Management – that at one point managed the security of Hargeisa Airport and has been accused of improperly collecting a $20 “security fee” from all passengers using equipment donated by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and installed by Adam Smith International.
Though we are unable to substantiate detailed information received from our sources, Horn Risk Management has also been accused of sending passenger information (PAX details and itineraries) to overseas servers by the former Ministry of Aviation’s executive, prompting concerns of improper dissemination of critical and personally identifiable information to unauthorized and unkown third parties, causing their prompt removal from access to sensitive traveller data along with the subsequent loss of their lucrative contract.
While we were unable to locate the registration of Horn Risk Management, the entity seems to have ceased operations, and their website is down (but archived) as of the writing of this article. We were only able to explore their existence further through their once-active LinkedIn profile. Additionally, Mr. Ismail has worked with yet another dubious private security firm known as Praetorian Connection.
Mr. Hall, Latif Ismail’s cofounder at Transparency Solutions is a virtual ghost with almost no digital footprint despite the fact that he co-authored every paper that Mr. Ismail listed on his University of Bristol’s SPAIS profile.
Mr. Hall’s lack of a digital footprint online, appears more of an intelligence handler’s attribute, than that of a prolific academic’s. Mr. Latif on the other hand, has enjoyed a relatively quick rise to prominence in his field on the back of Mr. Hall’s extensive academic writing catalog.
Another prolific writer Eric Herring, who according to his biography on the University of Bristol’s SPAIS profile is one of the co-founders of Transparency Solutions (but somehow unlisted on any registration documents), has been extremely visible in its activities such as being the face of the Somali First initiative, unlike the ellusive Mr. Hall.
Even more peculiar are the other companies registered to Mr. Hall. Aside from Transparency Solutions, he operates multiple gambling interests by way of Betting Gateway Limited (07355733) as well as Elitebet Limited (10159311). According to many published autobiographies of prominent intelligence operatives, it is common knowledge that they have historically used either NGOs, charities or gambling operations to launder and move money in less sophisticated nations to finance their operational objectives.
The tangled web of shady outfits does not end there, there is also the University of Bristol’s Global Insecurity Center which has the same exact operators of Transparency Solutions and Horn Risk Management, Fresh Ground Consultancy Limited (website) and similarly defunct Sweet Training Learning Consultancy Ltd where Transparency Solutions’ Sandra McNeil appears under her maiden name Sandra Jane Duck.
We have called Transparency Solutions’ office in Hargeisa Somaliland to get more information on Mr. Hall, to understand how they are registered in Somaliland, and various basic details a normal entity would readily provide. The unusually combative and defensive secretary questioned why we needed to know such information, and would not provide anything more than their website address as a referral.
We have also reached out to former employees of Transparency Solutions such as Khadar Abdi, a prominent member of the UK Somali community, the Interim Secretary General of Somaliland’s strongest opposition party, who has worked with both Transparency Solutions and Horn Risk Management, and was a researcher with the University of Bristol’s SPAIS program; but he declined to make any comment and promptly disconnected our call.
We have asked a number of high-ranking officials in Somaliland’s Government about Transparency Solutions including their operations in the country, and they were unanimous in their suspicion but declined to comment any further.
Furthermore, we were unable to find any indication that any reports on the sensitive research Transparency Solutions conducts, is shared with the Government of Somaliland according to various officials we interviewed.
Another alarming anomaly that stands out about Transparency Solutions, is the number of University of Bristol graduates (and former researchers) associated with it; many of which are also associated with both its various initiatives and activities, and employment pertaining to Somalia and its government.
This raises serious concerns and red flags, as the University of Bristol has been accused of links to British Intelligence in the past – specifically the GHCQ, where they were singled out in an explosive scandal in recent years.
According to security experts familiar with the Horn of Africa region we consulted with prior to publishing this article (who declined to be on record), there is a low probability of this being a British Government intelligence operation, but “it is more likely that former intelligence assets are working directly for the Government of Somalia to not only conduct research, but mine data that serves Somalia’s interests from telecom companies in Somaliland.”
In fact, according to Mr. Latif Ismail himself, the stated goal of their various efforts is for the reconstruction of Somalia.
“What grew from a research collaboration in 2012, has transformed into a dynamic, productive relationship, based on shared visionary aims for the reconstruction of Somalia which is ethical, sustainable and crucially, is Somali-led.”
Latif Ismail, Founder of Transparency Solutions
This leaves us with the obvious question: how transparent is Transparency Solutions and why are they still operating in Somaliland?
Somaliland: UK Defence Secretary Visit A Reminder Of Historic Ties
The United Kingdom Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson MP paid a visit to Somaliland to discuss areas of mutual interest between the two parties.
Mr. Williamson was met with the usual protocol and paid a courtesy call to Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi. The meeting which took place at the presidency lasted for several hours and was by all accounts mutually beneficial to both the United Kingdom and Somaliland.
As we are all aware, Somaliland and the United Kingdom share historic ties dating back at least two centuries. When Somaliland gained independence on the 26th of June 1960, it was against the advice of the then protectorate power to form a non-negotiated union with Italian Somaliland.
The desire for a “Greater Somalia” consisting of Somaliland, Somalia, Djibouti, the Northern Frontier district of Kenya and the Hawd and Ogaden region of Ethiopia was the driving force behind the hasty decision to form the union. The newly created entity, the Somali Republic, is now defunct and Somaliland restored its independence on the 18th of May, 1991.
The fall out from the union is well documented, but it is a reminder of the past. Suffice to say, Somaliland and its people paid a heavy price during the thirty year union and even a, if it is at all possible, bigger price to withdraw. The destruction of Hargeisa and Burao, the use of mercenaries to bomb the cities and its population, the land mines buried everywhere, and the exodus to the Hawd region are all undisputed facts.
In fact, the whole of Somalia paid a heavy price during the union, and especially, during the late death throes of the Barre regime. So, it comes as no surprise, that the recent events in Baidoa, Somalia, the arrest and slaughter of protesting civilians, which has led to the expulsion of the UN Representative for Somalia and Somaliland, Mr. Nicholas Haysom, for having the “temerity” to offer constructive criticism and demand an explanation for these deplorable actions, were committed under the “leadership” of Siyad Barre’s distant nephew, Mr. Farmajo, the head of the federal entity in Mogadishu.
I suppose it is true, the apple does not fall too far from the tree.
After billions of dollars spent, thousands of staff, countless hours of toil and all the support imaginable to help the people of Somalia, the United Nations finally received it’s reward, their eminent representative was banished unceremoniously, and their compound was mortared!.
We have often said, Somaliland is Africa’s best kept secret. We have different way of doing things. We use dialogue, discussion and consensus to reach our goals. We welcome constructive criticism from both at home and abroad.
Defense Secretary Williamson’s visit to Somaliland could be seen by some as a pointed reminder to the weak federal entity in Mogadishu, that the world is more than happy to do business with Somaliland on a de-jure basis. Somaliland is already engaged by the international community on a de-facto status, but, if the need be, all options are available.
As the UK prepares to exit the European Union, it is beginning to broaden its horizons, vis-a-vis future military relations with other nations. Secretary Williamson, who even had time to have lunch at the Officer’s Mess at Army Headquarters in Hargeisa, is more than welcome to see Somaliland as a future partner.
Allaa Mahad Leh
About the Author Ahmed Kheyre is based in London, UK and can be reached @ ruraledcomm[at]yahoo.co.uk
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff.
Notice: This is an 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 permitte
SOMALILAND FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE SEEKING OF RECOGNITION AMONG ITS EXPATRIATES.
My wise grandmother had used to say to mock someone, “I bet you pay attention to this person and not laugh.’ Similarly, I bet you pay attention to Somaliland’s foreign policy and not be angry if you are its friend and laugh if you are its foe.
Since Somaliland declared its independence, the foreign office has been crippled by the lack of enough funding, a guiding foreign policy, and qualified staff. For a long time, Somaliland lovers like me have been screaming at the top of their lungs to change the course and even asked the termination of Dr. Saad Ali Shire and his replacement with someone who has excellent salesman’s characteristics or at least has the courage to knock doors that we have never tried to reach.
Strangely enough, Dr. Saad has been replaced with a man who is less qualified for the position. Dr. Shire’s was very honest and well-educated man but unaggressive and lacked the maneuvering qualities to try to pull the simplest strings at his possession.
If I were the top decision maker, I would have appointed a team of strikers and their staff, each one of whom assigned to a different task and report to me directly. My strikers will consist of Professor Ahmed Samatar, Abdilahi Mohamed Dualeh and the spiritual leader of Somaliland , F. A. Warabeh.
In reality, the foreign ministry has no strategy at all. It has failed to stand up to Ethiopia by using the trade deficit. It has never tried to take a different route such as reaching out to the interesting and courageous countries like Russia, Iran and Israel. UAE has easily scored a fine touch down to block Berbera base from US competitors like Russia and Iran. I suspect that USA has orchestrated the plan, behind the scene, and handed it over to Abu Dhabi that skillfully got the base and for free- except offering empty promises yet to be seen.
Going back to the point, the new foreign affairs minister has been sent to the USA while the vice president and the Central Bank director have been sent to UK to encourage Somaliland communities to reach out to their elected politicians and use their democratic votes to easily snatch a recognition for Somaliland.
Instead of sending these officials to their own people and wasting money and time, they could have used the money and energy to hire lobbyists in few targeted countries. Instead of going to Russia and asking for recognition and support in exchange for a base on the Red Sea, president Bihi has sent Faratoon to Minneaplis, Columbus and DC. Instead of sending a secret delegation to Israel, he sent his vice president to UK.
The fact is Somaliland expatriates have lost faith in their slow-witted politicians.
Watching the meetings that the new foreign minister held in the US, he does not seem any better than his predecessor, Saad. For sure, the man does not seems charismatic or eloquent even in his own language, let alone lecturing in another foreign language to sell this tough case.
It is obvious that president Bihi has a disastrous way of choosing his team as his last three appointees unveiled. He had appointed a kindergarten teacher to represent Somaliland in UAE in spite of the fact that our economic and political hopes are dependent on this new relationship, at least for now. To represent him in Washington DC, he hired from Mogadishu Bashir Goth who is a known unionist Somali writer and finally Faratoon, as the foreign minister.
Lastly, If Mr. Bihi does not bring in the right people to come up with smart strategy, I am afraid that our hopes to see internationally recognized Somaliland will cease soon.
About the Author: Khadar CaloolGeele is a Somalilander based out of Austin TX and can be reached @ email: qadarosman[at]gmail.com
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff.
Notice: This is an 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 permitt
United Nations Orders Reduction of Staffing Footprint in Mogadishu, Somalia
In a broadcast from United Nations Support Office in Somalia and particularly Mogadishu. According to travel advisory email that was sent to all the staff stationed or are soon headed to Somalia, the statement cites the recent mortar attack on the UN compound on January 1st 2019.
According to the travel advisory, all personnel headed to Mogadishu on official duty will have to remain in Nairobi and report to work there.
There is no official statement from the Somali government regarding the travel advisory.
Conditions in Somalia have been on a downward spiral since the unrest in Baidao that claimed more than a dozen lives following arrest of Mukhtaar Roobow and some 300 people.
On January 1st the United Nations compound in Mogadishu came under indirect mortar fire injuring three UN personnel.
Following condemnation from SSGR Nicholas Haysom who previuosly demanded answers to the Somalia’s Federal government actions in the South West State, the Somali Government assigned a persona non grata status to Mr. Haysom.
Secretary General António Guterres, while disagreeing with the legality of Mr. Haysom’s PNG status has agreed to name a new envoy to Somalia.
It is unknown how long the United Nations’ footprint reduction in Mogadishu will remain in effect.
Read the UNSOS travel advisory below
From: UNSOS-BROADCAST unsoabroadcast@un.org
Sent: Sunday, January 6, 2019 2:30 pm
Subject: Reduction of staffing footprint Somalia
Dear Colleagues,
Following the mortar attack on the UN compound in Mogadishu on 1 January 2019, the Designated Official for Somalia has decided, as a precautionary measure, to limit the staffing footprint in Mogadishu for the immediate future. Some personnel who were scheduled to travel to Somalia on Sunday 6 January have been directed to temporary remain in Nairobi. Some who are scheduled to travel on Monday 7 January will be individually contacted and directed to temporarily remain in Nairobi.
This measure applies only to personnel assigned to Mogadishu, and not to those in duty stations in the sectors and regions. MovCon colleagues will vet the manifest during check-in in Nairobi, and those who have been asked to remain will not be checked in. Those who do not receive any notification should proceed to Mogadishu as planned.
Individuals who have been instructed to remain in Nairobi are required to report for duty, and to work from the UNSOM or UNSOS office in Nairobi. They will be considered as being on official business travel status, and entitled to daily subsistence allowance in Nairobi, on the condition that they report daily to the Nairobi Office. They should register with the colleagues in Human Resources Management Section below upon arrival at the office in Nairobi, so that work spaces can be identified for them:
Ms. Teresa Benedict on extension 6143, mobile +254 798 363 691.
Mr. John Wachira on extension 6128, mobile +254 720 713 475.
Those who have any difficulty in accessing the UNON compound should also contact the same HR colleagues.
Persons held back in Nairobi may choose to remain on leave, and not to report to work. In that case they will not be entitled to DSA.
All affected personnel will subsequently be informed when they should travel to Mogadishu.
We regret any inconvenience caused by the short notice given to affected personnel, and trust that all will understand that this temporary measure is being taken in the overall interest of the security and safety of all United Nations personnel.
Clark Toes
OiC UNSOS
UK Defense Secretary Visits Somaliland
The United Kingdom’s Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson visited Somaliland in unannounced visit today on January 6th 2019.
The defense secretary met with the President of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi Abdi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Yasin Hagi Mohamoud, his counterpart Somaliland’s Defense Minister Essa Ahmed and Somaliland top army General Nuh Ismail Tani.
The purpose of Mr. Williamson’s visit to Somaliland and what he discussed with the President are unclear. Sources tell Somaliland Chronicle that Mr.
Williamson and President Bihi a one on one meeting that lasted several hours.
Political analysts and diplomatic sources are speculating that the United Kingdom is sending a clear message to Somalia with the Minister’s visit which is the culmination of high level rapprochement by the international community since the ouster of SSGR Nicholas Haysom by Somalia’s Federal Government.
This is a developing story and will update as we know more.
The Power of Political Will: Experience from Somaliland
Nations can experience a dramatic change and substantial development in several ways but changes driven by individual leaders are common and highly praised in today’s world. Visionary and transformative leaders like Erdogan, Kagame, Zenawi, Mahathir Mohamed, and Lee Yew, to mention a few, are often commended for their role in the development and changes their countries underwent in recent history. Apart from the normal leadership and personal traits, political will is a vital force which enables the leaders to realize more goals in a short period of time.
In its 27 years of existence, the Republic of Somaliland achieved relatively more in the first 14 years; from peace-building and reconciliation to state-building and democratization, Somaliland achievements in the first 12 to 14 years were remarkable not to mention that challenges were more harsh and unrelenting. Not only there were armed clashes between clan militias, extreme poverty, and countless refugees, but the major cities were in rubble and ruins.
President Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal, who came to power in 1993 when the Somali National Movement (SNM) transferred the power to civilian leadership peacefully in Borama, was the architect of these unprecedented changes. Given the hostile situation and limited opportunities in place, Egal’s transformative leadership permitted him to start the state-building efforts from almost nothing. As many argue, what facilitated Egal and his administrations to achieve more in a short period is his political will. Equally important are the achievements of his successor, Dahir Rayale Kahin, in his first years. To understand the power of political will, let us examine Egal’s achievements in democratization, elections in particular, in a few years.
Democratization process of Somaliland begins with the constitutional referendum of 31 May 2001. The constitution laid the foundation for a multi-party system and competitive elections. President Egal founded the first political party – UDUB – a few months later in August 2001, followed by others. The first Electoral Law was passed by the parliament in November 2001 and then, Election Management Body, Somaliland National Electoral Commission, was established in December 2001.
With all these requirements set, the first election, local council elections, was contested by six political associations; three of them qualified to political parties since the constitution permits only three national political parties. The local council elections took place in December 2002 and only five months later, a presidential election was held in April 2003. The plan was to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections at the same time but several challenges including the unexpected death of president Egal in May 2002 and the absence of parliamentary seat allocation formula made that plan impossible. The parliamentary elections were eventually held in September 2005 with an improvised seat allocation formula.
Between 2001 and 2005, a constitutional referendum and three elections took place in Somaliland. This was a historic achievement witnessed by the people of Somaliland as well as the international community with international observers present most of these events. At the time, there was no democracy in the Horn of Africa. Hence, we can now agree on that, although other factors contributed to this remarkable achievements, political will was the main factor behind all this.
On the contrary, Somaliland managed to hold three elections, a presidential election in 2010, local council elections in 2012, and another presidential election in 2017, since 2005. That is only three elections in 13 years compared to a constitutional referendum and three elections in just five years – 2001-2005. Election delays, elected term extensions and failure to hold elections on schedule became a popular norm in Somaliland in this 13 years. Notwithstanding with other minor factors, the absence of political will from the top leadership is the principal cause of all these failures. Democracy and democratization process dwindled while clannism and clan politics is on the rise. To mention the latest example, parliamentary and local council elections scheduled to take place in March 2019 has been postponed to an unspecified time in later 2019. To even add insult to injury, the House of Elders (Guurti) has not been reelected/reselected since 1997 while the House of Representatives has not been reelected since 2005. Not only that but also the Guurti election/selection law and the parliamentary seat allocation formula are not yet in place. Moreover, other necessary reforms in electoral laws have not been carried out fully.
In a nutshell, political will is critical to nations’ developments and positive changes. This experience from Somaliland in Egal’s time and the early years of his successor (Rayale) is a perfect example. Apparently, what we are missing today in Somaliland is a political will from the top leadership. They seem careless and unconcerned; they are not taking advantage of the unlimited opportunities they have. Without political will, certain sectors may thrive but the whole nation cannot move forward at the same time.
About the Author Muhumed M. Muhumed (Khadar) is the author of Kala-Maan: Bilowgii iyo Burburkii Wadahadallada Soomaalilaand iyo Soomaaliya. He is a researcher based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. He can be reached at baadilmm@[at].com
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints of Somaliland Chronicle and it’s staff.
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.