By Goth Mohamed Goth
The government has vehemently rejected a falsified and provocative letter published by the Somali Federal government on social media, in which it listed the quotas of scholarships distributed it received from the Egyptian government for its regional administrations, purporting to include Somaliland.
According to the table of allocations released by the government of Mogadishu, Somaliland is stated to have received the scholarship for 25 people, which is equal in proportion to the administrations of Puntland, Banadir, and other regional administrations.
However, the Government of Somaliland has confirmed that the Somali government has done this because of poor planning and bad politics, nor has Somaliland requested or entered any arrangements with the Federal Government of Somalia regarding scholarships nor does it plan to do so now or in the future. Somaliland communicates independently and directly with other nations on such matters.
The Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Hon. Abdihakim Seyd Muse (Bustaale) speaking to the state media, described the letter circulated on social media in Somalia as regrettable and bad politics and does not in any way or form reflect the needs or represent the will of Somaliland.
He added, “Indeed, we saw that letter as a lack of planning and a bad policy in the Mogadishu administration. After all, the government of Somaliland and Somalia are two distinct independent governments; We are two neighboring countries. The scholarships that the Republic of Somaliland wants aren’t given or underwritten by the Mogadishu administration”.
He added that the Ministry of Education plays a vital role and adheres to robust policy regarding the education scholarships and which clearly stipulate that until Somaliland enters into an agreement with any country providing scholarships, it is null and void.
Lastly, Hon. Abdihakim Bustale said, “Countries that grant learning scholarships to Somaliland after we first have an understanding on how to work together and through mutual agreements. Somaliland has entered into similar understanding with many countries, for example, the recent one was with the Federal Government of Ethiopia”.
