Interior Minister: Somalia e-passport is no longer be a valid travel document in the country
By: Mohamoud H. Qodah
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Ali Mohamed Waran-Ade , Somaliland’s Interior Minister told State Television in an exclusive interview, that Somaliland will soon replace its old handwritten Passport into an electronic one by early 2014 and said, “Country’s old Passport will be soon replaced by E-Passports. Many countries accepted Somaliland passport as a legal valid travel document.
“We are also expecting many others to accept Somaliland passport. Government banned Somalia e-passport to be a valid travel document in the country due to lack of confidence and trust.
“Somalia e-passport will no longer be a valid travel document in Somaliland. Somali E-Passport has no confidential authoritative signatory and it can be found anywhere including countryside by anyone. They send their E-Passport through Remittance Company and it can’t be trusted anymore.
“Budget for replacing the old handwritten passport was included in this year’s annual budget which was recently approved by members of House of Representatives.”
Mr. Waran-Ade added that Somaliland and Somalia are 2 separate entities and that Somaliland can never ever accept Somalia passport to be legal travel document in Somaliland.”
“We sensed that Somalilanders who acquired the manual passport meet obstacles from traveling to abroad, for that most of international community adopted e-passport. E-passport is a new generation with modern electronic system. This new generation passport will help Somaliland people ease travel procedures to abroad.
“E-passports are sophisticated in terms of technology, tamper-free and less subject to fraud,” Waran-Ade concluded.
