By: Yusuf M Hasan
LONDON (Somalilandsun) – Residents of Hargeisa the Somaliland capital city are set for improved public service provision.
This development follows an agreement with the London city council in which Hargeisa municipality shall be availed equipment and technical support related to Fire-fighting, Garbage collection and health among others.
The support was pledged during a meeting between the deputy mayors of London and Hargeisa Councilors Victoria Burnett and Abdiaziz Mohamed Hashi respectively at deliberations in the UK capital city’s town hall also attended by the Somaliland roving ambassador Keyse Abdilahi Mohamed and representatives of the British Somaliland community Hussein Abdilahi Mohamed and Abdirashid Aden.
While informing of the importance of twinning cities as related to sustainable development and friendship among dwellers, the London deputy mayor Ms Victoria Burnett said that time has come for beneficial exchanges between the two cities with historical bonds that stretch centuries.
Thanking the Somaliland team for their visit and gift of traditional artifacts presented her, Ms Burnett who also gifted Hargeisa deputy mayor Cllr Hashi with a history book of London promised to see to it that arrangements agreed upon during their fruitful discussions were made effective in a timely manner.
In his post meeting briefing the Hargeisa deputy mayor councilor Abdiaziz Mohamed Hashi said that he was optimistic that the great city of London shall soon be twinned with the Somaliland capital with subsequent benefits of various city management practices.
Said he, “Our discussions with the London deputy mayor were very fruitful and hopeful our two cities shall eventually twin”
Referring to the request made to the London deputy mayor for support in a number of public service provision good practices and technologies Mayor Hashi said he expects the availability of assistance with equipment and technology relevant initially to Garbage collection, Health and fire fighting services which are currently of paramount importance.
The Hargeisa deputy mayor who thanked his host for the precious gift of a book on the history of London promised to study it carefully as a prelude to adapting methodologies of city development.
On the issue of the imperative need for fostering partnership between citizens of the two countries of great Britain and its former protectorate of Somaliland ambassador at-large Keyse Abdilahi Mohamed said there was an urgent for twinning various British and Somaliland cities.
Said he, “While thanking the Somaliland Diaspora for continually ensuring that part of their hard earned money is availed local development projects in the homeland I urge them to utilize their citizenship of various in Europe and elsewhere to campaign for the twinning of Somaliland cities and those that they are resident”
Speaking of their optimism for enhanced cooperation between Hargeisa and London cities the representatives of the British Somaliland community said many citizens of the UK are residents of Hargeisa where they own property and businesses that are reckoned with, for helping stimulate local economy.
The Hargeisa deputy mayor councilor Abdiaziz Mohamed Hashi who is an official visit abroad has held several successful meetings and discussions with numerous entities so far.
