Somaliland: A News Digest in English 4
Ahmed Kheyre
December 06, 2009
Mr Suleiman Ahmed Gulaid, the chancellor of Amoud University will meet with the faculty of several Swedish universities and the Somaliland community in Sweden. The chancellor is expected to discuss with his Swedish counterparts collaboration between Amoud University and their respective institutions of learning.
Close to 2000 students attend Amoud University´s nine different faculties.
Dr. Hussein A. Bulhan, the chancellor of Hargeisa University and accompanied by Mr. Eidarus Sh. Adan, Somaliland´s representative in Sweden visited the Swedish National Defence College in Stockholm.
The delegation was received at the Swedish National Defence College by Mr. Mats Utas, head of the Africa Programme and at the same time representing the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala. Mr. Mats Utas gave a brief presentation on the National Defence College and The Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala.
The National Defence College's task is to contribute towards national and international security through research and development. The Nordic Africa Institute is dedicated to providing timely, critical and alternative research and analysis of Africa in the Nordic countries and to strengthen the co-operation between African and Nordic researchers.
Prof. Abdsalan Yassin Mohamed, ex-officio president of Buroa University, a member of the Somaliland delegation in Sweden stated that he is looking forward to establishing new ties between the universities in Sweden and Buroa University.
Buroa University opened 2004 and has since developed several faculties which educate students from all over Somaliland and beyond.
During his visit, Prof. Abdisalan Yassin Mohamed met with colleagues from Uppsala University and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
It is the first time that such a strong delegation from Somaliland's universities have gathered in Sweden. Mr. Eidarus Sh Adan, Somaliland´s representative in Sweden stated that this visit will go a long way to cement the co-operation between Somaliland and Sweden.
Source Qarannews
LONDON- The Welfare & Justice Party, UCID has appointed Fatima Ali Madar as the new Foreign affairs spokeswoman.
Ms. Madar has devoted her life to promote peace, democracy and gender issues in Somaliland for the past 10 years.
Ms. Madar is strongly committed women´s participation in politics and decision making. Previously, Ms.Madar had been working as the coordinator of UCID Party in Europe.
A press release by the UCID party described Ms. Madar´s appointment as a historic landmark in Somaliland politics. Ms. Madar is expected to play a leading role in UCID campaign in the forthcoming presidential elections in Somaliland.
Source Harawo
HARGEISA- A delegation from the World Bank arrived in Somaliland yesterday on a visit to hold discussions with the Somaliland government on a range of subjects related to the current development projects taking place in the country.
The World Bank delegation was welcomed at Egal International Airport by the Somaliland minister of Agriculture, Mr. Aden Ahmed Elmi, officials from the department of protocol and local World Bank staff.
Speaking to the media at Egal International Airport, the Somaliland Agriculture minister, Mr. Ahmed Elmi, stated that the main focus of the World Bank delegation will be on the funding of several projects designed to develop the agriculture and livestock sector of the Somaliland economy.
The World Bank delegation are expected to hold a series of meetings with various Somaliland departments and agencies, as well as, visiting the cities of Borama, Buroa, Gabiley, Berbera and other parts of the country in the next few days.
In a related event, the Somaliland minister for Livestock, Dr. Idris Ibrahim Abdi was presented with a certificate of recognition by the World Bank delegation for the leadership role played by the department in resolving the Saudi Arabian ban on Somaliland livestock which had been lifted recently.
Dr. Ibrahim Abdi played a key role in the construction of a new animal processing centre in Berbera which has contributed greatly the lifting of the Saudi Arabian ban.
According to sources from the Arabian Peninsula, the recent arrival of Somaliland livestock in the Saudi Arabian markets has been met with a positive response and a steady demand.
Source Qarannews
ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Tekeda Alemu held talks here Thursday with the visiting Foreign Minister of Somaliland, Mr. Abdillahi Mohamed Duale, on elections to be held in that autonomous region of Somalia.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement issued after the meeting quoted Dr. Tekeda as saying that Ethiopia had given prime attention to maintaining peace and stability in the surrounding Horn of Africa region.
He said in particular the effort to maintain peace and stability in Somaliland should further be strengthened as it was significant to bring about peace and development in the Horn of Africa.
Mr.Duale said all parties in Somaliland had agreed to make the upcoming elections free, fair and peaceful. He said preparations were underway to hold the elections.
Meanwhile, commissioners of the newly established National Electoral Board of Somaliland have shared experiences with officials of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia during their recent visit, according to the ministry.
Despite Somaliland's self-declared independence in 1991, the country remains unrecognized by any country or international organization. —
Source NNN-ENA
HARGIESA- The President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin met yesterday with a delegation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) led by Dr. Eric Larocha, Deputy Director-General, at the presidential offices in Hargeisa.
President Rayale and the delegations from WHO discussed areas of mutual interest, including the current effort in Somaliland and across the globe to combat the H1N1 virus.
During the meeting, President Rayale stressed the need to address the issue of expired medicine being sent to developing countries such as Somaliland, which is slowly becoming a serious health and welfare issue. The President requested the assistance of the World Health Organisation in providing logistical and financial support to stop the spread of tainted and expired medicine in Somaliland's health system.
In response, Dr. Eric Larocha stated that this visit coincides with the intention of the World Health Organisation to open a food and drugs research centre in Somaliland in the near future. Dr. Larocha also stated that the centre's initial staff, consisting of six researches, will soon depart for an intensive training course in Kenya.
Dr. Larocha concluded his brief remarks by stating the desire of the World Health Organisation to work closely with the government of Somaliland, in particular the Ministries of Health, Education, and Social Development in developing programs designed to meet the needs of the more vulnerable members of the Somaliland society.
Those attending the meeting between President Rayale and Dr. Larocha, included the Somaliland Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Abdi Haibe, Dr. Marthe M. Everard, WHO Co-ordinator for Somaliland and Somalia, and Asia Osman Ahmed, Head of the WHO office in Somaliland.
Source Qarannews
STOCKHOLM- A meeting between Somaliland Universities and Addis Cardiac Hospital has taken place at Grand Hotel, Stockholm Sweden.
Addis Cardiac Hospital was represented by Dr. Fikru Maru, the initiator and head of the Hospital and the Somaliland Universities was represented by Dr. Hussein A Bulhan, President of Hargeisa University and Dr. Saeed Ahmed Hassan, President of Golis University. Also present at the meeting was Mr Eidarus Sh Adan , Somaliland representative in Sweden.
Addis Cardiac Hospital is first hospital in East Africa dedicated to study of cardiovascular diseases and was opened June 2007.
The hospital is a private organization and is co-financed investment by Fikmar Medical, Swedfund, Octupus Medical and Patrik Hjalmarsson AB.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) cardiovascular diseases has almost reached epidemic proportions in Africa in recent years and it is now one of the most common a cause of death along with HIV and AIDS.
In the countries of the Horn of Africa, many people have died owing to the lack of the necessary facilities for medical treatment. The inability to travel abroad for treatment is another contributory factor.
Dr. Hussein A Bulhan gave a presentation on the medical education in the Somaliland universities and stated the need for closer cooperation in the region with regard to medical education and training.
Dr. Maru explained the work of the Cardiac Hospital in Addis and offered to help Somaliland medical student visit the Cardiac Hospital in Addis for training and practice.
Dr. Maru is planning to visit Somaliland at the beginning of 2010 to get a first hand impression of the situation in Somaliland.
source TV-Somaliland Europe
NEW DELHI - Steel magnet Lakshmi N Mittal has paid over $110 million to double his stake in Africa-focused Ophir Energy Plc to 21.2, which has assets in Somaliland (1 block), Senegal (1 block), Congo Brazzaville (1 block), Equatorial Guinea (1 block), Gabon (4 block), Nigeria - Sao Tome (1 block), Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (4 blocks), and Tanzania (3 blocks).
"We would like to confirm that we recently doubled our investment in this (Ophir Energy) company," said Sudhir Maheshwari, Managing Director of Mittal Investment Sarl, the holding company of Mittal family interest.
He, however, refused to divulge financial details saying both Mittal Investment and Ophir were private companies.
Industry sources said Mittal Investment had in May 2008 agreed to buy 47 million shares in Ophir Energy at 250 pence a share in two tranches.
Established in 2004, Ophir is an independent oil and gas exploration company with a diversified exploration portfolio encompassing 16 projects in 8 different African jurisdictions.
With this, Mittal Investment has become the largest shareholder in Ophir Energy, overtaking its Mvelaphanda Holdings Pty Ltd, the South African industrial and resources conglomerate founded by Ophir's Non-Executive Chairman Tokyo Sexwale. Mvelaphanda now has 17.9 per cent.
Maheshwari said Mittal Investment has pulled out of a project to develop an oil field in Kazakhstan in partnership with Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC).
Source Business Standard
HARGEISA- The President of Somaliland, Dahir Rayale Kahin has released through the presidential press office the following communiqué to mark World Aids Day, December 1st.
Addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS, the President stated in the communiqué the following;
"As we are all aware HIV/AIDS is a global health issues without borders affecting millions of people across the world, irrespective of creed or colour, and requires a global co-operation and co-ordination based on awareness, education and assistance to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS".
The President´s communiqué highlights Somaliland´s effort in tackling these pressing health issues,
"The Somaliland government has taken important steps in raising public awareness of the health concerns posed by HIV/AIDS, including but not limited to, formulating government policy to implement national programs relating to HIV/AIDS, co-coordinating with donor nations to obtain the necessary resources and the logistics required to raise public awareness, training, and treatment, and the creation of a government agency mandated to co-ordinate the various programs and projects designed to address the issue of HIV/AIDS in Somaliland".
The communiqué concludes by stating,
"The Somaliland government´s efforts, which have been ably assisted by the people of Somaliland and the relevant international organizations have achieved tangible results in the training of health workers, the development and refurbishments of hospital clinics, the opening of treatment, advice and education centres. The government of Somaliland will not waver in its effort to address the issue of HIV/AIDS, and furthermore encourages all sections of the Somaliland society and the international community to continue in their endeavour to provide awareness and assistance to those affected by HIV/AIDS"
Source Qarannews
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