2010: Somaliland In Focus – Part I

HARGEISA, 8 January 2009 (Somalilandpress) – As the new year and the new decade commences, we have countless expectations here in Somaliland. To mention only few, international recognition, better life, economic development, and most importantly, we are impatient to get free and fair elections done.

In this article I will be highlighting the major actions we need to take, emphasizing the threats and opportunities we are facing in a long-ignored corner of the continent-Africa. I will be focusing on three major areas: Political, Economical and social issues.

Politics:

To begin with, we have been through an extremely challenging year, 2009, where the political unrest was a common phenomenon, the worst in 15 years. Thanks to God, we have settled now. In 2010, we are expecting four major elections: the presidential, the local governments and two parliamentary elections (both Elders and Representatives). Thus this will be a tough year and we need to work harder to achieve them all. In one hand, it seems to be impossible to accomplish because we couldn’t held only one election in two years. But on the other hand, it is very much likely that we can attain- considering the recent agreement between the political parities and the dedication of the newly elected Electoral Commission. And all we can say is to be optimistic and hope for the best because “The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy”. Let me also argue the stakeholders to speed up their efforts to take us out of the doubt.

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Similarly, we are waiting the world to look as more closely then before, we have been disregarded for two decades and I believe we have to be taken more seriously at this very year. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is “the right of self determination”, which states that “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development”. So we did! Why don’t they accept?!

To reaching our goals, we need to strengthen our system of governance, security and foreign policy, and that is what we need to place on the top of our agenda in the new year. Knowing that many countries will come as they admire our unilateral determination and dedication, there is no reason to retreat but move forward.

Lastly, we live in a hostile Horn, where new ways of extremism threaten our existence, meaning we have to be more careful than ever before and make use of the past experiences. Let us all remember that, as Mandella once said, “There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere”.

Long life Somaliland,

Thanks for reading………. The other parts are coming soon.

Jama Ismail Noor,
Senior Student
International Horn University,
Hargeisa- Somaliland
Jaamacyare11@hotmail.com

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Views expressed in the opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the editorial