By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Since the 1991 Burao conference where the re-independce of Somaliland was declared a national has not been convened thus never held.
This was the consensus of the three Somaliland national political parties of Kulmiye, UCID and Wadani during a press conference held in Hargeisa to announce their joint nod for the proposed national Consultation Conference.
According to the chiefs of the three parties Mr. Musa Bihi, Eng Feisal Ali Warabe and Abdirahman Irro of Kulmiye, UCID and Wadani Respectively the antagonism generated by the opposition parties proposed national dialogue symposium is to be held under moderation by the Hargeisa based academy for Peace and development-APD though no date was specified.
According to the Chairman of the ruling Kulmiye party Mr. Musa Bihi who was first to address members of the press, “The three national political parties shall jointly hold the proposed national dialogue conference under the facilitation of the APD”
The ruling party boss who informed that the consensus on jointly holding the national dialogue was reached after amicable discussions said that the decision shall go a long way in dissipate the controversy that has of recent engulfed the nation.
The UCID party boss, who commended colleagues for their steadfastness during lengthily inter-party discussions that took a marathon four days, urged all to further adhere to agreements reached as per dialogue guidelines and implementation mechanisms.
As he thanked the president of Somaliland for his timely intervention that saw acrimony between the ruling and opposition parties as pertained to the proposed symposium, the Wadani chair who also doubles as the speaker of the Somaliland parliament concurred with colleagues that a consensus was amicably reached on joint hosting of the symposium under moderation by the APD.
Terming the inter-parties agreement as a major political step for Somaliland The head of the Academy for Peace and Development Mr. Abdirahman Aw Ali Farah said the APD shall strive to accomplish its assigned role of national dialogue conference moderator in the best and most diligent manner possible.
While conspicuously absent was the National Consultation and Rectification Forum which originated the National dialogue idea Others participating at the four days inter-parties meeting and subsequent press conference were UCID presidential hopeful Jamal Ali Hussein, Deputy Kulmiye chair Mohamed Kahin and members of the committee appointed by opposition parties to organize the national symposium.
According to the inter-parties Agreement the three parties’ consensus on the national symposium and subsequent arrangement to host it together is as a result of the desires of Somaliland citizens.
The agreed agenda for the now inter-parties national consultation symposium include
• Discuss forthcoming parliamentary, presidential and Guurti slated for 2015 and come up with clear guidelines as per the way forward especially as the ensuring of ballot taking place at the planned period.
• Discuss the quest for the country’s recognition as a sovereign state and intensified joint (Political parties, Administration, and other stakeholders) campaign within the international community
A day earlier the head of state President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo and the speaker of parliament who is also the chairman of the National Party (WADANI) Hon. Abdirahman Mohammed Abdilahi (Irro) had reached a consensus on the go ahead of the national consultation conference in a unique mediation masterminded by the Guurti (senate) chairman Hon. Suleiman Mohamoud Aden and a senior elder of the Guurti Hon. Abdikarim Hussein (Abdiwarabe) whose intervention had helped cool down rising political temperatures that have been boiling in the country to a point.
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