Somaliland Pushes for International Recognition
London (TNN)-Somaliland has been
fighting for its independence for three decades. Its newly
elect ed president, Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, is in London to
strengthen economic ties and lobby for sup port to have his
country recognized as a sovereign nation.
Somaliland president Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo launched a new economic
cooperation center here in London, the Anglo-Somaliland Chamber of
Commerce. The president is in Britain looking for economi c as
well as political support.
"We would like recognition for our country of course, but we would
also want to see the internatio nal community and Britain our
friends engage with us to mobilize development to give us
developm ent, recognition and cooperating with us in many areas,"
said the president.
He says the June elections that brought him to power were widely
regarded as free and fair, and the peaceful transition of leadership
marked another step in Somaliland's development.
"We have made tremendous progress, Somaliland has been operating on
its own, Somaliland has been relatively peaceful in a region which
is not stable enough, known for instability activities of al-Shabab
and other extremist groups," he said. "Somaliland has been fighting
against these people and Somaliland has been working on stability,
not only that but on its democracy and development of its people."
Silanyo says his government has worked hard to crack down on piracy
and Islamic militancy, and is concerned about the instability of
Somalia.
"We would like to see peace restored to Somalia itself because lack
of stability in the region is bound to affect us, it's affecting the
whole world, it's affecting our region more than anyone else," he
said.
Somaliland's new president says international recognition of
Somaliland would help with stability, its banks and other
institutions would be able to interact freely with the rest of the
world.
"Not being recognized by the international community is a huge
setback, naturally that goes without saying and that's why we are
moving around and asking the international community and sending an
appeal to them to recognize Somaliland," he said.
Silanyo says Kosovo's recent recognition as an independent country
and the January referendum on independence for Southern Sudan are
both positive developments for Somaliland.
"We are heartened by Kosovo and what's happened to Southern Sudan
that means it opens the door for us. The principle that countries
should remain as they were at the time of independence has changed
so why should it not work for us as well," Silanyo said
The United States says it will "engage" with Silanyo's government.
Britain, Denmark and Sweden are all increasing their bi-lateral ties
with Somaliland. The president said Ethiopia is also deepening its
relationship with Somaliland, and, he hopes a new railway will link
the two countries.
Source:VOA
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