THT- The vice president Mr.Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismael (Saylici) has received the Qatar ambassador to Somalia H.E Hassan Bin Hamza Hashem. The Qatari envoy was in the country to see the devastation caused by the fierce Waheen Market fire.
Deputy president and the national committee for relief of Waheen Market disaster and a clique of ministers accompanied the diplomat to Waheen Market. The Qatar ambassador saw the destruction caused by the fire inferno and empathized with the people of Somaliland.
The vice president informed the ambassador the effects of terrible loss caused by the fire on the economic well being of the Waheen Market traders. The VP stated that many traders who were wealthy before the fire disaster had been reduced to paupers as a result of the loss of their businesses to the fire.
Minister of Religious Affairs Sheikh Abdirizak Ali Hussein (Albani) also addressed the Qatari delegation. He informed them about the efforts of the government to revive the market and the work done by the Waheen Market disaster committee to help traders financially to restart their businesses.
Sheikh Albani thanked the ambassador for his concern of the well being of the people. He also welcomed the envoy to Somaliland.
“I’m very appreciative for your visit to the scene of the Waheen Market inferno. You have seen with your own eyes the devastation caused by the fire.” Said, Religious Minister to the Qatari envoy.
Qatar’s Ambassador to Somalia was accompanied by Mr.Fahad Al-Dehemi from Qatar International Aid Organization and Yousuf Al-Mulla a researcher on humanitarian assistance and Mr.Ali Abdullah Al-Dabbagh.
The Qataris donated Food stuff for 750 poor families.
“We came here to visit the biggest Market in Hargeisa, Waheen which used to accommodate more than 5000 businesses. It is unfortunate the fire caused destruction of a large magnitude at a time when the market experiences a lot of trading.” The envoy stated in a press briefing at Hargeisa presidential palace hosted by the government of Somaliland.
The Qatar ambassador said “Our second priority of this visit to Somaliland is to evaluate the cost of the damage caused by the fire disaster. There are many problems in the Horn of Africa region there is the drought that has caused food insecurity and water scarcity, and this fire disaster expounds the situation exponentially. We are waiting for the final evaluation of the fire disaster before we forward our assistance.”
He handed over food rations for 750 households and thanked the government for its welcome