By M.A. Egge

The sub-committee on Shariah and family affairs of the Somaliland House of Representatives held a meeting with the national Promotions of Virtue and Prevention of Vices (PVPV) committee hence pondered on ways and means of bolstering concerted efforts in the cooperation and eradication measures to combat bad practices in the country such as blasphemy, immorality, narcotics and associated unwarranted vices.

The chairman of the Parliamentary Shariah and Family Affairs committee Hon. Barkhad Jama Batuun headed the meeting.

The PVPV Committee gave a detailed report on how they fight against narcotics, illegal drugs, immorality, and blasphemy.

The committee promised to create a National Code to address the issues and ease the services rendered by the PVPV.

The parliamentary committee praised the PVPV committee for their prominent role in the society and how they are engaged in dealing with or eliminating unwarranted vices in the community.

Recently an establishment of a new police unit was announced to support the sector in combating vices.

The government has started a plan to secure the information of the displaced people in the country

The National Agency for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons will dispatch teams to collect data information on the displaced persons traversing the regions in the country.

The chairman of the agency Mr. Abdikarim Ahmed Mohamed Hinif, said that it was an annual exercise to collate comprehensive updated data and information.

He explained that the data were two sets, one being the agency’s while the other was to be shared by the IOM.

He revealed that the findings of the data would be publicized.

By M.A. Egge

Somaliland’s ambassador to Taiwan, Ambassador Mohamed Omar Haji, said that Somaliland has been cushioning its neighboring countries from security threats in the region for quite a while.

The ambassador also pointed out that the neighboring countries should understand that Somaliland has been a security wall that has all along been cushioning the threats at the Horn of Africa that has been emanating from situations such as terrorist activity and the tension in the Red Sea marine passage.

He gave the sentiments as he spoke in an exclusive interview with a local media outlet, MMTV.

Ambassador Mohamed Omar Haji said that Somaliland government and citizens have survived the political storms, conflicts and changes that have been afflicting hence since its existence it has been a sort of a buffer zone that shouldered and vouched for the security and stability of its neighbours.

Of note, he said that Somaliland’s policy having good relations with all countries.

When asked about the agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia and the feelings of Djibouti he said that the country is very close to Somaliland and they have good relations hence underpinned the fact that the agreement is very beneficial and that it would prevail at last for the better of all in the region.

“Somaliland is politically related to neighboring countries; socio-politically it has taken to live with them in the best way possible. Somaliland’s security and stability has led to the peace of the neighboring countries and good business”, he said.

He noted, “We have big threats in the world, you see, there are two big threats where we live, one is the threat of extremism led by Al-Shabaab, and the other is the threat of the Red Sea, both of which we are facing. We have warded off the dangers as long as we could all throughout our existence”.

By Goth Mohamed Goth

On Thursday, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals held a meeting, chaired by Minister H.E. Abdullahi Farah Abdi, and flanked by Mr. Mohamed Saeed, the Director General bringing together the Ministry’s stakeholders, including Renewable Energy Companies.

The discussion focused on:

1. Engaging with and accelerating the adoption and utilization of renewable energy resources, such as Geothermal, Solar, and Wind power in the country.
2. The Department of Energy presented a new PV (Photovoltaic) regulation to help manage and further develop the renewable energy sector.

Two international conservation charities have joined forces to launch an awareness campaign in Somaliland, to educate the public about the critical issue of wildlife trafficking, with a specific focus on the cheetahs of the Horn of Africa.

The campaign, organized by the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and the Wild Africa Fund, is aimed at combating the illegal wildlife pet trade in cheetahs from the Horn of Africa.

The charities highlighted the innovative media strategies employed by the Wild Africa Fund to reduce poaching of African elephants and rhinos, which will now be extended to address the trafficking of cheetahs in the Horn of Africa.

“The initiative underscores a significant step towards protecting Somaliland’s wildlife and raising global awareness about the devastating impacts of illegal wildlife trade,” the CCF said in a statement.

The campaign comes amid reports that more than 200 cheetahs have been trafficked into the Middle East annually, out of a regional population of about 400 individuals in the Horn of Africa.

The awareness program, developed in collaboration with Somaliland’s two relevant ministries, included interviews with key government officials and influential social media personalities, who pledged to use their platforms to advocate for the conservation of wildlife in Somaliland.

The CCF is currently caring for 97 cheetahs rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade at its Cheetah Rescue and Conservation Center (CRCC) in Geed-Deeble in Somaliland.

The world population of cheetah is less than 7,000 individuals, and this regional subspecies has recently been uplisted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to “Endangered.”

By Mustafa Abdi Ibrahim

Mr. Jama Ayaanle Feyte, Somaliland-born politician, Journalist, and Horn of Africa political analyst who hails from Sanaag region has warned that unless there is regime change soon the country risks losing Sanaag region due to the bad judgment by the current regime in an interview with Somali Journalist Mr. Mohamed Farah Omade.

Mr. Jama Feyte added that the current government is to blame for the political upheaval in Erigavo town this week since the government is responsible for safety of its citizens and their properties

“A volatile political situation in Sanaag and Sool regions poses yet another challenge to democracy and stability of the republic of Somaliland, The present government should have taken the necessary measures to avoid the recent skirmishes in the town in which two women were injured and 50 others were detained by security this week but has failed to do so’, Mr. Jama Feyte stated.

Mr. Jama further said, “The people of Sanaag region despite their different tribal affiliations have coexisted in peace and harmony over the centuries but the current government seems to be dividing them by arresting members of a certain community.

He went on to say, “The recent incidents in Sanaag is a volatile political crisis that left experts confused and diplomats worried about a broad societal collapse that could ignite violence or prompt a broader conflict in the region unless appropriate measures are put into place it may turn to a Las Anod Scenario.

“In regard to the upcoming Presidential elections which are due to be held in November this year, I would like to urge the people to choose the right candidate who can unify the country and promote coexistence among the various communities living in the country.

Mr.  Jama Feyte lastly said, “Somaliland is known for its hybrid democracy which is an  accommodation between a clan-based social structure and a representative democracy which has been enabled by local socio-cultural traditions. External intervention, while minimal, has on occasion proved fruitful in providing a way out of crises.  I believe through political change and different approaches the people of Las Anod shall once again come to the Somaliland fold.

Click the link below to watch the interview

By Goth Mohamed Goth

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟐𝟖-𝐌𝐚𝐲-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐚 –The Deputy Minister and Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals on Tuesday chaired with the technical committee of the ESP companies in Hargeisa.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the implementation of a memorandum of understanding to merge the ESP companies, which is part of a national plan to provide the community with affordable and reliable electricity.