The United Nations pledges to support NDP III
By M.A. Egge
The President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Musa Bihi Abdi officially launched on Tuesday the Third National Development Plan, which will last for the next five years 2023-2027.
It was organized by the Ministry of Planning and National Development and launched at the Presidential Palace hence attended by the President himself, the Vice President, the Chairman of the Supreme Court, members of the House of Representatives, ministers, heads of various national institutions, businessmen, academics and eminent guests.
The plan focus on six pillars of economic development, good governance, climate change, economic infrastructure, social development and justice.
The director general of the Ministry of Planning and National Development Mr. Ahmed Yasin Mohamed explained the importance of this plan for the nation, as it lays out the path that Somaliland wants to take in the next five years. The head of the Committee that prepared the National Development Plan, Khadar Ahmed Abdi also spoke.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change Hon. Shukri Haji Ismail Bandare noted that the plan is a recommended pre-requisite in charting out goals to be achieved hence quipped that the lack of it is as disastrous as being radar-less.
Minister of Finance Development, Dr. Saad Ali Shire, explained how the plan can be supported and the key points for its implementation.
He said, “We need to consult and create a development fund in the budget to collate the projects. The vision of the ministries is to take advantage of the assets of the private sector and companies in which everyone can have a share and for the government to sell legal debt (treasury bonds) that can be used in areas where income is generated and to encourage people to increase their deposits which are currently very low”.
The Minister of Planning and National Development Hon. Dr. Ahmed Aden Buhane said that the ministry has gone through all the stages that this plan was supposed to go through, underlining that special importance should be given to self-sufficiency.
“We have applied all the rules applying thereof when we prepared this plan and we have shared it with other international institutions to make it tangible”, he said.
Mr. Simon Strachan, a representative from the UNSOM office observed, “NDP III is an exciting and wonderful opportunity. It will not be easy to achieve, because there are many challenges ahead, but it will be the next step in realizing Somaliland’s long-term development goals.”
Mr. David Igula, a representative of the United Nations speaking at the forum said, “On behalf of the United Nations, I would like to reiterate the continued availability of the UN to support the sustainable government of Somaliland, its peace and stability. Together we will achieve, together we will succeed.”
The President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi praised the Ministry of Planning for the implementation of this nationally important plan that they have been carrying out for a long time, describing it as a hope for the nation to achieve its long-term vision.
The president called on all the different institutions of the nation to give time to the implementation of this plan, and to consult each other.
“This plan is one that we will achieve economic development in every aspect, so I am asking the various institutions and the people of the nation to shoulder the responsibility of its implementation, because it is in our interest and our future since we can not survive on alms and grants so we need to develop our minds, and strive to progress,” he said.