THT-Foreign Minister Dr. Isse Keyd Mohamud urged diaspora to work in unity and solidarity for the betterment of their country both at home and abroad.
In a speech on the wrapping up the 5th Diaspora said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a lot of work to do and commended the former minister and developments they made, particularly Dr. Sa’ad Ali Shire,
“We need to connect the ministry and diaspora, and feed here all messages they convey to their host nations, and make the issue more impacting, and sell Somaliland to the world”, he said.
Dr. Issa urged diaspora to teach their children the culture and heritage of their home, and bring them back frequently Somaliland hence similarly advised to desist from wayward politics and tribalism. “Everyone is free to participate in his political party of choice but don’t use them for polarizing society, but unification for the sake of nationhood”, he appealed.
“I am informing the French-speaking community that a French-speaking minister who knows your role in Africa, North America and Europe has arrived, you will get a platform. I promise to improve the e-government system so that everyone will have access to the resources he needs and diaspora needed to be a united people so that host countries will understand their power”, he said.
Dr. Issa says he is committed to make all abroad envoys efficient for their entrusted roles to host diaspora.
He guaranteed the participant that the next year the 6th Diaspora conference to be a larger one in every angle, in order Somaliland community at home to clearly appreciate their efforts.
on the other hand Declarations of the 5th Somaliland Annual Diaspora Conference
The 5th Annual Diaspora Conference of the Republic of Somaliland on 15-16th Sept, 2021 under the theme “Mobilizing Diaspora Resources for the National Development” successfully closes at Grand Hadi Hotel. Nearly 200 participants mainly members from the Diaspora with professional backgrounds, community leaders, activists, Diaspora-founded businesses, experienced educationalists and senior public servants, potential business companies including the telecommunications, banks, money remitting firms, other investors, key government ministries some of them represented by ministers and directors general, other dignitaries from the Somaliland Government, MPs, officials from the Political Parties, Different national and international development partners – several LNGOs, INGOs including IOM and other UN Agencies and other development partners, a foreign delegation from the Ghana Diaspora Office and other guests attended the conference for the two days event.
In the two days, the conference focused on the key thematic areas as the role of Somaliland Diaspora promoting in Somaliland’s quest for recognition, maximizing Diaspora’s role in the economic development, Diaspora knowledge transfer, remittances & the future, harmonization of the national Diaspora policy and other topics of relevance to the issues of the Diaspora engagement. A number of remarkable presentations based on identified challenges, opportunities, and priorities on certain objectives and themes of the year were made whilst different investors, entrepreneurs and other development partners showcased their products and the services they do.
As the Director of the Diaspora Office, Mr. Saad Mohamed Abdi announced declarations from the conference at the closure which therefore recommends the following:-
- Finalization of the National Diaspora Policy in order to enable better coordination of the Diaspora engagement at the national level. It is recommended that this should become a tool to ensure better engagement of the Somaliland Diaspora and that interministrial Task Force is formed;
- Developing a roadmap for strengthening Diaspora’s role in the quest for international recognition (Somaliland Diaspora Diplomacy) and promoting Somaliland’s image and identity with the Diaspora influence;
- More consideration should be given to the engagement of the Diaspora-born young generations of Somaliland origin;
- Formation of Diaspora Advisory Board;
- Establishment of the Somaliland Diaspora Trust Fund with appropriate regulatory policy;
- Creation of collective and well regulated business investment schemes that the Diaspora can participate and formalizing certain incentives to furthering return and investment flow of the Somaliland Diaspora;
- Enhancing the Diaspora unity and the principles of good governance and democracy within the communities committees and associations and develop protocols and guidelines that relates to them.