Somaliland: Generational Change of Guard at Trade and Investment Ministry Brightens Prospect

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As European educated Eng Deyr takes over the Commerce and international Investment portfolio from elderly Musa Kasim who exited the cabinet after being axed in a mini-reshuffle by President Silanyo.

Eng. Hussein Deyr a die hard Somaliland nationalist assumes Trade and Investment policy formulation mantle

By: Yusuf M Hasan

Somalilandsun – The Republic of Somaliland is certainly a trading nation served by a strategic geo-political location connected through land borders to Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia, while enjoying maritime boundary allowing in particular direct, rapid and effective connections to the Arabian Peninsula.

This was stated by the minister of Trade and Investment-MoT&I Eng Hussein Aden Egeh ‘Hussein Deyr’ in a keynote speech delivered at the 4th High level Ethio-Somaliland consultative meeting held in the port city of Berbera on 27th February 2016.

Young takes over from the old as outgoing Somaliland Trade and Investment Minister Musa Kasim (L) hands over to his succesor Eng Hussein Aden Egeh Hussein Deyr RFor the youthful MoT&I minister the meet that brought together senior officials from the two neighbouring governments in a final push towards fine tuning and subsequent finalization of a Bilateral Trade and Transit arrangement was also incidentally the first forum for him to undertake his new duties at such a level.

As for the Somaliland trade and investment minister in his mid 40’s who was appointed by President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo to his cabinet as replacement for his axed predecessor Musa Kasim creation of ample employment opportunities for the vast numbers of youthful graduates in the country is his main strategic target.

“In order to stimulate national economic growth it is imperative that illegal immigration by youthful graduates is stemmed” Minister Hussein Deyr told Somalilandsun adding that the exodus of these graduates is covertly facilitating a brain drain that shall end up costing the nation dearly in the foreseen future.

The architectural engineer turned politician says that strategies he wants to implement in pursuit of stemming the worrying exodus include putting in place amicable trading polices thence attract foreign investment from various investors both conglomerates and individuals.

illegal immagration is not only brain draining but dangerous as wellSaid he “An infusion of large foreign investment portfolios shall not only rejuvenate our economic growth but create sufficient employment opportunities currently lacking thence the brain draining, Tahrib, illegal immigration, ”

Contrary to locally held opinions that appointment of Diaspora Somalilanders to senior public office retards development in the country Eng Hussein Deyr argues that his lengthily stay in Europe where he holds Dutch citizenship as well as long-term resident of the United Kingdom is a plus owing to many connections more so within citizens of Somaliland with dual nationality.

Says he, “While large foreign investments are what the country requires harnessing the huge cash reserves’ held by local citizens in the Diaspora is an imperative that I hope to clinche” as he stresses that targeting this sector which is surely credited in driving the prevalent economy in Somaliland shall be pursued in cooperation with other stakeholders especially the Hargeisa based Diaspora agency.

Europe , the Americas, Asia and Africa is home to a large number of native Somalilanders who were born from parents who, or those that, sought safe havens following the brutal war waged against them by Somalia dictator Gen Siyad Barre in the 1980’s and subsequent 1990’s civil war induced difficulties.

For Hussein Deyr the opportunity to deliver a keynote speech at a meeting whose outcome is of major importance to the country not to mention the top quality participation that included Ambassadors, ministerial Directors, Army Generals, the Ethiopian Consul General for Somaliland, senior Berbera Port Authority managers and numerous professionals from the two governments has been a meteoric one.

Somaliland Minister of Trade and Investement L pose with leader of ethiopian delegation Amb Suleiman DedefoIt begun in the mid 2000’s with die hard support for the then leader of current but then opposition Kulmiye party and current president of Somaliland Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo for whom Eng Deyr is reckoned for active fundraising and more eye-catching publication of many articles extolling the virtue of Silanyo both as an opposition leader, prospective and sitting president .

While the road to his current portfolio can trace its roots to days of Silanyo in the opposition the actual groundwork was laid in early 2015 when he was called back to the country from his base in the UK to assume advisory duties at the presidency in Hargeisa.

Later in the year president Silanyo picked him to fill the position of presidential Spokesperson left vacant after then incumbent Suleiman Duhul joined the group led by former presidency minister Hirsi Haji Ali in the mass resignation from the administration by senior officials.

An official and important appointment for the Architectural engineer Coming in the heels of the unprecedented act in any administration governing the country gave him, Eng Deyr, the opportunity to display his prowess at the highest levels of government, the presidential spokesperson mandating him to act as a nonvoting secretary to the council of ministers.

“Since the first time I met Eng Hussein Deyr at the Egal international airport I knew that here was a fellow countryman with not only love of his motherland but one with clear strategies for developing the nation if given an opportunity” Ali Hassan Yey a driver for the Dawan Media Group told Somalilandsun. The sentiments by this ordinary citizen were collaborated even by outspoken opposition politician and former Silanyo minister of information Boobe Yusuf Duale who did not shy away from commenting Eng Deyr in his performance as presidential spokesperson.

“The day I heard Boobe a staunch opponent of President Silanyo applauding a senior government official an unheard of first in Somaliland I took pride in having surmised the citizen from the Diaspora correctly’ says Ali Yey whom upon prodding is equivocal that the architectural engineer turned politician will surpass normal expectations placed upon a minister in Somaliland.

As for the country that sees its national Trade and investment policies transferred from an elderly typewriter era politician and placed on the shoulders of a digitalized youth operative with international exposure is being construed RIGHTFUL or WRONGFULLY as shift from lackluster growth to one embracing the global market.

And though it is the norm to glorify whichever new official assumes public office the ascension of Eng Hussein Aden Egeh ‘Hussein Deyr’ to the Trade and investment hot seat is a plus for the insights of his boss President Silanyo as well as an opportunity for his die-hard supporter to prove through implementation at the highest level of administration all his plans elicited in the numerous articles he has published on the strategies required to propel Somaliland to the enshrined global village of the 21st Century and beyond.

Copyright: Somalilandsun, 2016. www.somalilandsun.com