Held on Sunday19^th August 2009 at Mansoor Hotel, Hargeisa, Somaliland 

Minute Takers:

1. Dahir Mohamed Dahir
2. Rooble Mohamed

Chairing & Facilitating: Jama Gabush

Workshop Objectives:

1. Getting information about different topics related with Somaliland recognition issue.
2. Brainstorming Somaliland intellectuals on issues related to recognition.
3. Collecting enough and different ideas for the International conference on Somaliland recognition which will be held post election.
4. Getting different ideas from different people with different background and professions.

Discussed topics:

1. What has been achieved since the last 18 years as far as it concerns the foreign policy? Hasan H. Yaheen
2. What are the challenges facing the Somaliland’s recognition? Barwani
3. What is the ideal way of addressing the issue of recognition? Ahmed Abdi Jama
4. What is the impact of the lack of recognition to the society? Sa’ad Ali Shire

 Welcome, Introduction & opening

Mr. Jama Gabush, Chairing the Somaliland intellectuals workshop on recognition on 19th July 2009, has welcomed the participants and briefly introduced the workshop objectives and the impact it may have to the progress of the country, soon after he handed the speech to the FORUM’s Chairman Eng. Ali Abdillahi Dahir to address his opening session to the participants.

Opening Session:

The workshop has been officially opened by Eng. Ali Abdillahi Dahir, chairman of Somaliland Forum. During his speech, Eng. Ali’s highlights included acknowledgment to the target participants; he mentioned that the forum suggested this workshop to be specific for Somaliland core intellectuals and this was the first of its kind held specifically for the recognition, this in addition he stated the expected outcomes of the workshop to be presented during the international conference for Somaliland

recognition scheduled to take place later this year, on the other hand he debriefed little bit about the upcoming conference and advised participants to discuss openly on the issues and not to favor for the political parties.

Dr. Bulhan Hargeisa University President

Dr. Bulhan, Hargeisa University President narrated about the impacts of lack of recognition, and on the other hand mentioned how recognition would be much beneficial for the Somaliland community. His speech about recognition included:

1. Without recognition is denial of self right and national rights
2. Without recognition results lack of proper resources utilization while other potential countries are enjoying the rights of the un recognized nations
3. Recognition comes by effort of the concerned people, thus it can’t be borrowed nor donated too.
4. Somaliland as existing entity came through resistance through unity and cooperation and struggle against the dictatorship regime; however people have forgotten the profound and background success series of Somaliland existence. For this regard we are blind nation since we forgot the victims of the nations.
5. In order to gain the eyes of the international community, we are supposed to focus the development side of the nation; since we progressed in terms of number and quality.
6. Somaliland Politian’s and intellectuals must provide continuous support to their Youth and leaders of tomorrow; in turn to look for recognition and cooperation with the outside world.
7. Lack of recognition is the main challenge for Somaliland educational progress system that resulted national university to receive less donations from the international world since we don’t have structured partnership system.
8. UN donates to Somaliland in the name of Somalia thus; this shows that we are still under the umbrella and shades of Somalia. Therefore Somaliland seems undermining the way forward by playing double game and double strategy. However this concept implies though Somaliland is peace but still part of great Somalia no matter the warring function exist in South and Central Somalia.
9. Dr. Bulhan concluded his speech: “we can create the recognition by ourselves same as how we initiated universities for the country. Therefore we should have show persistence regarding the recognition issues”

HE: Abdirahman Irro Chairman of the Parliament

His Excellencies Abdiraham Irro narrated about the achievements and key relationships towards recognition they made so far; His words included:

1. Somaliland has been independent nation since 1991 and gained through efforts and persistence; on the other hand its noteworthy to mention Somaliland forum’s credit that has implemented series of advocacies and debates in the overseas countries regarding recognition issues thus, Today we need to evaluate the impacts of those advocacies.
2. We attempted series of steps regarding the recognition issues to the following nations: Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda & UK. While UK urged Somaliland to be recognized as separate. On the other hand the key challenge was Kenyan election disaster that made the Somaliland recognition tardy.
3. Somaliland initiated many attempts in the neighboring countries for the sake of Somaliland recognition advocacy.
4. Top achievements included but not limited to: Establishment of relationships with the parliaments of : Latin Americas, UK, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia

Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire

Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire was ex member of SLF and currently head of UK Dabashiil agency; he stressed on the following points:

1. Briefed Somaliland employment rate growth and mentioned unemployment rate figure as nearly 80%
2. Lack of recognition results lack of foreign investment to the country due to security restrictions.

Dr. Osman Fadal ex Minister of Planning & Coordination

Mr. Fadal stressed on UN & INGO;s impacted to the recognition and his words included:

1. Some recognition tips depend on us while others depend on the international community
2. Will Somaliland be recognized? Yes depends on our ambition and persistence
3. External recognition is just moral support. Since we don’t appear in UN and international conferences. But the internal recognition is the best one.
4. Therefore as non recognized nation we need to sign MOU’s and cooperation agreements with the INGO’s and other international donor agencies including USAID and UN.
5. We must sustain our internal mission to conduct elections on time thus other communities will glance us.

Group Discussions

The SLF member coordinated the participants and divided into four major groups, the main objective of the group discussion was to brainstorm the different ideas presented by the group members and to pick the excellent ideas for further elaborations and analysis. Thus here are the major points discussed by each group.

Group one:

Discussed issue: What has been achieved since the last 18 years as far as it concerns the foreign policy?

Presented by: Hassan H. Yaheen

Key achievements include but not limited to:

1. Initiation of peace, disarmament of the militia and brought clans together to share governance.
2. Creation of Somaliland house of elders (GUURTIDA)
3. Establishment of democracy in the country
4. Somaliland constitution referendum
5. Creation of political parties
6. Fair and competitive election
7. Establishment of higher education studies and four universities are functioning today
8. Diaspora group investment
9. Diaspora unity in the oversea regardless of their supporting party.
10. Publicized Somaliland name in many corners of the world
11. Established effective ambassadors in some countries
12. Diaspora groups are the only source economy for the country
13. Organization that campaign for the Somaliland existence has been established
14. Robust relationship with the neighboring countries
15. Private sector improved in a vast while the public sector does not match with private sector marginal improvement.
16. Creation of basic public sector needs.

Group two:

Discussed issue: What are the challenges facing the Somaliland’s recognition?

Presented by: Mohamed (Barwaani)

Key challenges included but not limited to:

1. Somaliland is recognized as part of great Somalia by the International Unification law linked to regional and continental policies and procedures organizations (prejudice)
2. National recognition policy structure is ineffective
3. Lack of strategic foreign policy coordination
4. Lack of Coordinated policy framework
5. Lack of lobbying to the International courts and UN to begin Somaliland case
6. Lack of respect of Somaliland internal values
7. Lack of interest of the international community
8. Lack of investment, Somaliland could not attract international investors
9. Lack of offer of international issues
10. Somaliland border dispute which seems volatile administration in the border areas.
11. Weak economic system
12. Lack of strategic political approach for the recognition
13. Lack of Maintaining our Diplomacy in the foreign offices
14. Lack of media awareness in terms of political issues
15. Lack of National policy program and strategy for the recognition process
16. Lack of good governance and institutions in terms of accountability and transparency

Group three:

Discussed issue: What is the ideal way of addressing the issue of recognition?

Presented by: Ahmed Abdi Jama

Key ideal ways of addressing recognition issue included but not limited to:

1. Establishment of mixed committee from the key politician figures and the intellectuals.
2. By definition Somaliland must classify their friends and enemies.
3. Creation written source documentary regarding Somaliland issue in depth.
4. Proper utilization of the international media source for the recognition process.
5. Finding lobbying economy for the Somaliland case to present for the world
6. United front media group must be established
7. Persistent to the development chain
8. To find solution how our target communities could utilize local resources optimally
9. Establishment of sustained awareness regarding the recognition
10. Government to be free from corruption issues
11. Establishment of new ministry called Somaliland Ministry of recognition affairs.
12. Since Somaliland is peaceful we have to seek being membership in the regional peace keeping forces.

Group Four:

Discussed issue what is the impact of the lack of recognition to the society?

Presented by: Sa’ad Ali Shire

Key impacts of the lack of recognition to the society included but not limited to

1. Donors donate Somaliland infrastructure development indirectly, while recognized countries receive the donation directly without third party.
2. Somaliland business people can’t participate in the international business system
3. Restricted travel to the overseas in terms of healthy and educational issues.
4. Lack of foreign investment to the country since we don’t comply with the internal rules and insurance system.
5. Restricted export market
6. Lack of international scholarships.
7. Not member of international networks including UN/Arab League and AU
8. Lack Of Encouragment (Wait & See) By The Diaspora Group
9. International community’s recognize refugees from Southern Somalia as natives to their country
10. Mass increases to the illegal immigration
11. Lack of mixture to the foreign people
12. Lack of industrial insurance for attending maritime conferences and investment due to the piracies in the Horn of Africa.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 at 7:01 pm.