Somalia Ambassador to Egypt: ‘Allegations by Somaliland Education Minister is irrational’
Somaliland Education Minister: SFG New leadership is re-energizing elapsed Traumas
By: Mohamoud H. Qodah
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Somaliland Minister of Education MS. Samsam Abdi Aden has today strongly denounced Somalia Ambassador to Egypt of prejudice and favoritism. She similarly confirmed that government of Egypt accepted Somaliland passport a permissible and a valid travel document in their country.
Education Minister of Somaliland speaking to the BBC Somali Service, in an exclusive interview after she returned from a trip to Egypt where she had meetings with officials from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Social Affairs and Az-har, the biggest and the leading university in the religion affairs and stated, “Somaliland and Egypt have a historic and unbreakable ties. We were received well by Egyptian officials during our visit to Cairo. Somaliland’s visit to Egypt was fruitful by the way.”
MS. Samsan further added that Somalia federal government makes nepotisms and discriminations against Somaliland students in Egypt where she also described that Somalia embassy has rejected to give prerequisite and essential documents to 26 Somaliland students who were studding universities from Egypt.
“Almost 200 students currently live and study education in Egypt, they learn from different universities in the country. We had a meeting with them and they expressed their compliant against Somalia federal government and its Embassy in Egypt where they have met nepotism and partiality made by the Embassy officials.
“We briefed Egyptian officials the problems and obstacles faced by of our fellow Somalilanders in the Egypt and the good news is that government in Egypt accepted Somaliland passport as a valid and legal travel document.”
She added that both parties discussed issues pertaining, education, strengthening the historic ties of 2 brotherly countries and that Somaliland government to formally submit their priorities.
“We have discussed that government of Egypt to take over Jamal Abdinasir secondary school, and to provide professional trainings to teachers so as to upgrade their teaching quality in order to get education with high value. They have also agreed to give hand to the restructuring and refurbishing of the old Egyptian Library in Hargeisa. We have also deliberated the increment of scholarships To Somaliland students.” The Minister concluded,
On the other side; SFG Ambassador to Egypt gave strong reactions and defended Somalia Embassy to Egypt from Somaliland’s accusations where he dismissed all allegations by minister of education and stated, “We deal with Somaliland students in Egypt impartially. We deal with them as the same manner we deal with other Somali students in the country.”
He identified that Embassy in Masar is not responsible for the issuance of passport and that Government based in Mogadishu has recently banned the usage of old green Somali passport from the country.
“The new e-passport for Somalia is the only valid travel document in the country and this was issued by the SFG. Somaliland’s allegations are baseless and irrational. It was unfortunate that she didn’t let us know any existing complaint regarding Somaliland student while the minister was in Cairo. Students from Somaliland are successful ones and have an outstanding performance and we impressively cooperate with them, so there is no trauma that was re-energized.” Ambassador added,
