Somaliland President Ahmed M Silanyo | Welcomes OECD REp Solheim at the Hargeisa presidency on 26th Oct 2013 |
By Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA - "I
am pleased to learn about the considerable developmental progress being made in
Somaliland,", "and the high level of ownership at all levels of
society in country which bodes well for achieving continued, sustained
development progress as the New Deal starts implementation and I encourage
international development partners to continue their strong support to the
people of Somaliland."
This was said by Mr Erik Solheim, Chair of the OECD
Development Assistance Committee (DAC), at the Hargeisa presidency during a
joint press conference with the Somaliland minister of trade and Foreign
Investment Dr Mohamed Abdilahi Omar following a meeting with President Ahmed
Mahmud Silanyo on the 26 October 2013.
Dr Omar who thanked the visiting Solheim who is a former
Norwegian minister said that the visit symbolifies the importance the OECD
attaches to the participation of Somaliland in the new deal for enjoyment in
Fragile states in whose progress and challenges in implementation the visit by
Mr Solheim's is focused on.
The New Deal is an innovative framework to guide
effective cooperation between countries affected by conflict and their
international partners in support of peace- and state-building efforts. The New
Deal was endorsed by over 40 countries and organisations in December 2011.
According to a press statement by the UN Communications
Coordinator in Hargeisa Mr Solheim who has already met with the President of
Somaliland, H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo, will be meeting with other senior government
officials, representatives from civil society and the private sector, and
members of the international community during his visit. He will also visit
local development projects that focus on improving the livestock industry and
reforming the civil service.
"I am pleased to learn about the considerable
developmental progress being made in Somaliland," said Mr Solheim during
his joint press conference with Dr Omar adding that, "and the high level
of ownership at all levels of society in Somaliland. This bodes well for
achieving continued, sustained development progress as the New Deal starts
implementation and I encourage international development partners to continue
their strong support to the people of Somaliland."
Mr Solheim discussed with senior government officials
ways of advancing the Somaliland Special Arrangement, which was agreed as part
of the Somali compact at a New Deal conference in Brussels ( 16 September). The
Agreement serves as a strategic framework for international partners to support
a limited number of priority areas of Somaliland's Development Plan. It sets
out partnership principles, preferred financing modalities and mechanisms for
coordination and monitoring.
Flanked by Somaliland Minister of planning Dr Saad Ali Shire and trade minister Dr M A Omar the OECD Rep Mr Erik Solheim briefs media at the presidency in Hargeisa |
"I welcome the development of the Somaliland Special
Arrangement," said Mr Solheim. "Government and development partners
have much to gain from focusing and aligning their efforts behind this
strategic framework, as well as the principles and commitments of the New Deal
and other international agreements on aid and development effectiveness."
Erik Solheim took the lead of the DAC in January 2013, a
position to which he was unanimously elected. The DAC is a unique international
forum of many of the largest funders of aid, including 29 member governments,
as well as the World Bank, IMF and UNDP, who participate as observers. Mr.
Solheim took the position after holding the combined portfolio of Norway's
Minister of the Environment and International Development from 2007-2012; he
also served as Minister of International Development from 2005 to 2007.
Throughout his time in office, Mr. Solheim emphasized the importance of
conflict prevention. He was also the main negotiator in the peace process in
Sri Lanka and has contributed to peace processes in Burundi, Nepal, Myanmar and
Sudan.
The press briefing can be heard HERE
Source: somalilandsun.com
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