Vice President H.E Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail (Saylici) on Monday inaugurated the botanical and nature enhancement plantation in Geed-deeble on the northern fringes of Hargeisa.
Ms. Khadra Omar Hassan, a feminist and anti-circumcision activist who has worked for a long time to establish the park, said the park will work to restore tourism, vegetation and nature.
“We launched its campaign 10 years ago. Today we are working on land and environmental rights. It will provide all the vegetation in Somaliland and the Horn of Africa. It will be a return point for Somaliland tourism,” Khadra said.
“It will be a place for research, it will have a tourist destination, it will have a healthy garden, a rock garden, a bird farm, and it will boost the economy,” Khadra added.
Somaliland’s Minister of Environment, Hon Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare, said the park would be the largest in the Horn of Africa for plant and environmental protection.
“This project belongs to the nation. It has been emphasized. It will be the biggest and best in the Horn of Africa. Today, Somaliland is competing in the Horn, not in the near future,” said Minister Bandare.
Somaliland Vice President Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail (Saylici) said Somaliland competes with neighboring countries for tourism and good environment and said the park will be the third to be established in the Horn of Africa.
The implementation of the project took for ten years and its mission is intended to boost the awareness of environmental rights in Somaliland as well as to be a public place where everyone can spend her/his leisure time.
In his remarks, the country’s VP Hon. Abdirahman Sayli’i said that this is the third place to be implemented in the Horn of Africa.
He was optimistic that SL will lead a better and clean environment in the region.
The main function of the botanic garden is to allow the people to see and learn about the various plants in terms of science and its local languages.
