By: Yusuf M Hasan
Somalilandsun – Debate about the recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as sovereign nation is to intensify in Europe.
This follows the imminent departure of the Somaliland National Recognition Committee-SNRC composed of Academics, politicians, Diplomats and government officials which shall visit major European capitals beginning with London in the UK where meetings with government officials, politicians and citizens in the Diaspora are planned for.
In it maiden tour abroad since it was established by president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo ten members of the SNRC led by its chairperson Eng Feisal Ali Warabe shall also engage Diaspora agency established organizations in various capitals of Europe among them London, Brussels, Rome, Stockholm, Paris and Oslo among others.
These Somaliland Diaspora Organizations in the European capitals whose membership and leadership is entirely pooled from Somalilanders resident in the various European countries were established under the stewardship of the Somaliland Diaspora Agency with the objective of facilitating activities of the SNRC.
The Eng Warabe led National Recognition Committee team planned for departing the country on the 7th April 2016 is mainly composed of its locally based members who are presumably to link up with their Diaspora resident colleagues in their various capitals in Europe.
Among those expected to make the SNRC delegation to Europe include but not limited to
1. Dr Saad Ali Shire, minister of Foreign affairs and international cooperation
2. Eng Feisal Ali Warabe, Chairperson of UCID Political Party
3. Ahmed Abdilahi Kijande, Member of Parliament
4. Ahmed Dahir Mahmud, Member of Parliament
5. Abdilahi Jama Geeljire, Ex-Minister
6. Amb Hussein Ali Duale ‘Awil’
7. Dr Edna Aden Ismail, Ex-MOFA Minister
8. Prof Mohamed Saeed Gees, Ex-MOFA Minister
9. Mahmud Hussein Farah, Dean of Law of Hargeisa University and
10. Prof. Suleiman Ahmed Guleid- Amoud University Chancellor
Though the 18 member SNRC has not held a full quorum meeting since establishment owing to the absence of Diaspora based colleagues its objectives, management structures and mandate fulfillment procedures have been put in place at a meeting in Hargeisa/
Diaspora based members of the Somaliland National Recognition Committee include Prof Ahmed Ismail Samatar, Dr Mohamed Abdilahi Omar (Ex Foreign Minister), Roaming Diplomatic envoy Amb Rabi Abdi Mohamed and the Somaliland representative to turkey Ali Ahmed Osman to name but a few.
In its first session held in Hargeisa on Saturday, 19 March 2016, the SNRC not only agreed upon procedural guidelines but declared intent on embarking on new recognition strategies closely aligned to the government’s foreign policy.
Having also unanimously concurred on the imperatives of collating views from citizens from all walks of life living in the country and in the Diaspora in pursuit of breaking the over 2 decades jinx of international recognition of the republic of Somaliland as a sovereign country, the national Committee parleyed the local media at a closed door meeting held in the capital Hargeisa where the fourth estate obliged with recommendations on the way forward notable being
• Immediate cessation of talks with Somalia
• Increase the number of Women currently represented by only Edna Aden
• Campaign for the government to cease hosting all diplomats based in Mogadishu
• Explore avenues of soliciting recognition from the East more so from Russia and China as well as contacts with BRICS organization composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and
• Lobby for the committee to be made a constitutional body thence entrench activities in lieu of the short period of the appointing administration that expires in April 2016.
In its part the SNRC urged enhancement of nationalism trends among the fourth estate especially through deterrence to proliferation of tribally inclined information detrimental to statehood as well as close cooperation with the committee.
While the recognition advisory team had a post media parley plan to meet with members of parliament for similar consultations it is not yet clear whether such shall be accomplished before its maiden tour abroad.
Though it has not been mentioned the European visit by the SNRC coincides with Somaliland Society in Europe (SSE) annual conference to be held in Stockholm on the 8th April under facilitation by the Umbrella Association of Somaliland Community Organizations in Sweden (SLRF)
What is for sure is that at the SSE 2016 conference themed “Celebrating Somaliland’s Silver Jubilee and Calibrating its Future Trajectory” Edna Aden who is a member of the National Recognition committee is among invited guest speakers that include other prominent personalities like
• Prof. Ahmed Samatar, James Wallace Professor & Chair of International Studies, Founding Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship, Macalester College
• Prof. Gerard Prunier, Professor of Anthropology, expert on the Horn of Africa
• Amir Adan, Moderate Party Member and Member of Swedish Parliament
• Mikael Torstensson, CEO, Swedinvest, Scandinavia AB
• Mussie Aphrem, Political Scientist, Forum Syd, Sweden and
• Robert Wiren, French journalist and expert on the Horn of Africa as well as
• Representatives of Somaliland Diaspora Organizations
In the meantime and though Somalilandsun is yet to confirm, speculation is rife that Prof Ahmed Ismail Samatar and Dr Mohamed Abdilahi Omar (Ex Foreign Minister) have resigned from the SNRC membership.
Copyright: Somalilandsun, 2016. www.somalilandsun.com
