By:Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Nairobi and Hargeisa are set to exchange accredited diplomats at the level of General Consul.
The much awaited development was confirmed by the presidential spokesperson Ahmed Suleiman Duhul during a media in Hargeisa where he also informed that the cabinet of President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo has approved the submission of two draft bills to parliament’s House of Representatives for debate ad approval.
Suleiman Duhul who is a nonvoting member of the Somaliland Council of ministers informed that the two draft bills approved during Thursdays meeting chaired by president Silanyo are ‘Anti-Terrorism bill’ and ‘National Education bill’ .
According to the presidential spokesperson the two draft bills are as a result of the importance the government attaches to the fight against Terrorism and the Education of its nationals thence high hopes that the House of Reps will expedite hearing and approval as a prelude to forwarding the same to Gurti the upper chamber of parliament for similar action before the head of state affixes his signature to institutionalize them.
Duhul who applauded the cabinet’s effort culminating to the Education bill said that that a society that is informed is more likely to progress than one that isn’t while the terror bill outlines the nature of offences that constitutes terror acts together with powers of law enforcement in dealing with such crimes coupled with its punishment.
On the issue of imminent opening of a Kenyan consulate in the country the presidential spokesperson said the two governments in Nairobi and Hargeisa have already finalized all necessary arrangements and the exchange of accredited diplomats is to be effected soon.
In Conclusion of his press briefing Suleiman Duhul noted that it was one of his responsibility to inform the nation on the outcomes of cabinet resolutions wherever they take place at the presidency said that this will now be a regular exercise.
The opening of Kenya diplomatic mission much opposed by the Somali federal Government- SFG received its first official announcement earlier this month when Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho at the Kenyan ministry of foreign affairs was briefing parliament on the diplomatic missions established in the recent past.
Kibicho who detailed the new foreign missions informed the Nairobi legislators that plans were at advanced stages of establishing a diplomatic presence in the Republic of Somaliland at Consular level with accredited envoys from the two countries manning them while a consular office to supplement its embassy in Mogadishu was also in the offing at Kismayo the capital of the somalia administrative region of Jubaland where Kenya Defence forces are helping tackle Al-Shabaab militants.
