By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – A team from the UN is expected in the capital city Hargeisa latest on Saturday.
The team purportedly led by the UN special representative for Somalia Ambassador Augustine Mahiga is set to conduct a Technical Assessment of the political and other scenarios in the country on behalf of the United Nations security Council-UNSC.
Saxafi news sources indicate that the Technical Assessment Mission-TAM shall during the yet undisclosed timeframe of stay, hold discussions with the government, political and traditional leadership as well representatives from local civil society organizations.
After the TAM clears up its mission in the country, it shall then be split into two teams to be dispatched to both Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and the Kenyan capital Nairobi for consultations with numerous Somaliland stakeholders and more specifically donor organizations based there.
Though not possible for Somalilandsun to ascertain similar TAM teams shall perform likewise assessments in various administrative regions of Somalia either concurrent or consecutive to the anticipated one in Somaliland.
The final technical assessment report shall then be utilized as part and parcel of the Somalia conference slated for the 7th May in London.
The UNSC which assembled and mandated the TAM mission following a plea of support for the six pillars t Hasan Sheikh in January this year is discerned as to be adding salt to the US and UK government’s injury to Somaliland’s sovereignty.
The six-pillar policy plan in which the Hasan-Shirdon government has made clear priority commitment to the establishment of a fully functional federal administration in all areas which were one entity prior to the fall of strongman Siad Barre in 1991 are:
• improve security and justice,
• reduce corruption,
• stimulate economic recovery,
• deliver services in the health and education sector,
• foster cooperation with international partners and
• Uphold the unity and integrity of Somalia.
During the January plea to the UN the Mogadishu based authorities claimed that failure by the international community to fully support and more specifically PROP-UP the Hasan government and its six-pillar policy plan is tantamount to relinquishing it to a similar fate as the one that has befallen the various transitional governments of Somalia since 1991.
The UN and its two main collaborators USA and UK whose overt dillydallying with the selected government of president Hasan is disconcerting to Somalilanders who are not only feeling alienated but seemingly being pushed towards acquiescing to the wishes of cooperation with the Mogadishu authorities regardless of their –Landers- 21 years old unambiguous wishes for sovereignty.
It then no wonder that the purported UNSC mandated TAM is visiting the country, the UNSC is yet to recognized as such, a short while after the peoples elected president Silanyo announced boycott of the 7th May London Somalia conference
While announcing the conference upon his return from a visit to Turkey the Somaliland head of state H.E Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo said, “The meeting is focused on Somalia and Somaliland has nothing to do with neither it nor anything to contribute towards internal affairs of its neighbours”
True to his words the official statement released by the host UK governments informs that the conference will focus on how the international community can work in partnership with the new Federal Government of Somalia on its priorities: rebuilding its armed forces, police, coastguard, justice and public financial management systems; and helping create political stability. It will mark the new spirit of partnership between Somalia and the international community
After all is said and done and in view of the last of the six- pillar policy plan (Uphold the unity and integrity of Somalia) of the Hasan-Shirdon government with its consequences for Somaliland’s oft stated irrevocability and non-negotiability of its sovereignty , it remains to be seen in which side the TAM dice shall fall.
Finally it is obvious that Amb Mahiga who is only the UN representative for Somalia and not as we make believe the UN rep for Somalia/Somaliland is the major and most damaging stumbling block to Somalilanders quest for sovereignty.
With this said am sure as the sun rises in the east that once the August Mahiga lands at Egal International Airport he shall automatically assume the non-existent title of UN special rep for Somaliland/Somalia thus bolster our spirits for the short duration of the TAM’s stay which is undoubtedly to be followed by a confederation oriented assessment report on 7th May in London
Finally it is for sure that the TAM shall cajole and arm-twist our leaders into recanting the conference boycott but is anybody aware or mindful on how Somalilanders feel about having their democratically elected president not only l
