Senior Somaliland officials among them the Minister of the Interior, Minister of Justice, Minister of Planning, and Deputy Foreign Minister received a senior UN delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss how to tackle drought and how to improve relations between the Somaliland and the United Nations. The visit is part of a wider visit to the Horn of Africa region as part of which the ##UN has dispersed a number of delegations amongst countries which have been affected by the drought has severely affected. The delegation was led by Samba Sane, a senior figure in the Africa Division of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs. Mr Sane noted that he was primarily visiting to listen to the concerns and issues of the people of Somaliland.
The Minister of Interior emphasized that Somaliland’s primary concern was to address the #drought stating; “The Republic of Somaliland is not just only experiencing drought but faces the prospect of #famine. We have not seen any aid workers on the ground and people are suffering from drought-related illnesses such as cholera and malnutrition. I urge the UN to improve the coordination of its relief efforts now because time is running out.”
The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted the fact that the UN should already be aware that the Republic of Somaliland was a safe and peaceful haven and it should be not present an obstacle for the UN to distribute aid to areas which are badly affected. He further noted that the Republic of #Somaliland should receive a fair share of the allocated development and humanitarian assistance from the United Nations.
The government of the Republic of Somaliland is concerned that if the International community tries to politicize #aid by favouring #Mogadishu and neglecting Somaliland, the people who are affected by drought will be the ones to suffer.
Issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Republic of Somaliland.
