Somaliland: News Digest In English
Ahmed Kheyre
October 28, 2009
House Speaker Abdirahman Mohamed "Irro" asked the lawmakers to approve the new election commission as a unit, instead of one-by-one approval.
The 65 MPs present voted unanimously to approve the new election commission after the new commission members "fulfilled all selection criteria," according to Mr. Said Elmi Roble, chairman of the internal affairs subcommittee.
The new election commission is scheduled to meet soon and to appoint a new chairman. Somaliland President Dahir Riyale inked a six-point agreement with opposition parties in late September following a dispute over delayed presidential elections. Source (UNPO)
Borama, Somaliland: The Director of Borama General Hospital, Dr Ismail H. Muhummed and officials from the non governmental organization COOPI honored some of the staff of Borama General Hospital with certificates and cash prizes.
Present at the event were the management of Borama Hospital, Borama´s health committee, physicians and hospital staff.
Dr Ismail H. Muhummed said that the prizes were donated by COOPI and are being given to those who do excellent work and keep their areas clean.
Dr. Mariya, an official with COOPI stressed that the purpose of the prize is to encourage excellent work performance. She also revealed that COOPI intends to give prizes and certificates every month to staff who do an outstanding job. (source SL Times)
Paris, France: Somaliland representative in France, Mohamud Salah Nur (Fagadhe), underwent a successful surgery in a private hospital in Paris, France on Oct.14, 2009.
The operation which was done by Italian doctors lasted five hours. Even before the operation, news reports began circulating in Somaliland´s media that Somaliland´s government has not paid Mr Fagadhe´s medical bills.
The government denied those reports and claimed it did pay the bills. (source SL Times)
Dahar, Somaliland: Residents of Dahar in the Sanaag Region have expressed serious concerns about low flying helicopters in the town.
Low flying planes have been spotted in the town of Dahar in the last few days causing widespread panic among residents of Dahar and other parts of Sanaag Region.
Salad Hassan Shire, the mayor of Dahar told reporters they have been seeing low flying planes in Dahar and surrounding areas since 15 October].
The mayor also said he does not know the reason these planes have come into the town and said traditional elders in the town and the administration alike have been seeking to find out why these planes were in the town and what their intentions are.
Farmers and nomads in the town and surrounding areas are panic stricken about these planes which they said are sometimes flying very low.
There has been no comment from government officials in Hargeisa. (source SL Times)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- French company Bollore Africa Logistics is to invest €500-million in the Somaliland port of Berbera, a crucial lifeline for landlocked Ethiopia, a diplomat said Wednesday.
Berbera, less than 300 kilometres east of the former French colony of Djibouti, faces Yemen on the Gulf of Aden and is the main port of Somaliland.
"Bollore is about to invest €500-million in Berbera port to improve the port and create a new corridor to the hinterland.
Ethiopia is very excited about that," a French diplomat based in Addis Ababa said.
"The project is not completely finalised, but Bollore has a huge presence in West Africa and is interested in East Africa," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
The company is part of a group owned by Vincent Bollore, a leader in West Africa's ports sector and close friend of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Ethiopia has had good relations with the self-proclaimed government of Somaliland and is heavily reliant on the port of Berbera for supplies.
The Bollore group confirmed to AFP in Paris it was interested in the project but did not elaborate further.
"We have not made an offer yet and no amount has been agreed," a spokesperson said. (source biznews)
Hargeisa, Somaliland: Washington panelists emphasized the role of free press in promoting democracy at a Town Hall in Hargeisa, Somaliland today as the Voice of America (VOA) launched a new radio station.
"We expect this station to serve our people impartially and to inform us – not just with news – but with balanced reports and knowledge," Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin said as he welcomed VOA´s new broadcast.
The launch of 88.0 FM brought together journalists, government officials, opposition members and civil society activists who gathered afterwards for a discussion entitled, "A Free Press in a Democracy."
Panelists praised the gains in independent media, but said challenges remain. Faisal Ali Sheikh, chairman of Jamhuriya newspaper, opposed pending legislation that would require the Ministry of Information to review advertisements.
"The media should lobby against the amendment … which is aimed at restricting the freedom of the press," Ali Sheikh said. Other panelists included Su´as Hussein Hagi Elmi, a female activist and Mohamoud Hussain Farah, dean of Hargeisa Univesity´s Department of Law.
During an interview with VOA´s Somali service, Somaliland´s main opposition leader, Ahmed Mohammed Silanyo, also expressed his appreciation for the new station. "We are happy to see the Voice of American launch this FM station which will help the people of Somaliland," Silanyo said.
VOA Hargeisa 88.0 will air 24 hours of VOA programs daily. The broadcast stream includes three and half hours of news and features from VOA´s Somali service along with popular English news, discussion and music programs such as World News Now, Daybreak Africa, Hip Hop Connection and Music Mix.
Besides Somali, VOA also broadcasts in English and 11 other languages throughout Africa. (source Qarannews)