By M.A. Egge
The government of Somaliland has sent a warning to all the aid agencies operating in the country hence insisted that all the international non-governmental organizations to operate within the stipulated regulations and in tandem with the general national planning programmes hence diligently undertake projected duties and services.
It also instructed that all organizations implementing development projects or humanitarian emergency aid services must be registered with the mandated registration office of the Ministry of Planning and National Development.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Planning has instructed the employers that when it comes to employing staff priorities must first be given to the citizenry who are ably qualified for the jobs and not non-nationals.
This was stated in a circular, issued by the Minister of Planning and National Development Hon. Ahmed Mohamed Diriye Toorno, a copy of which reached our news desk.
It read as follows:
- The programs of International Non-Governmental Charitable Organizations must be in line with the overall development plan of the country, they must encourage, show practical and effective projects, and at the same time work in collaborations with local non-governmental Charitable Organizations in the areas where they operate and strengthen their knowledge and performance in order to ensure that these programs continue to be sustainable and self-sufficient, according to clause 2 of article 35 of Law no. 43/2010.
- All organizations implementing a development project or humanitarian emergency aid must be registered with the Registration Office of the Ministry of Planning and National Development, according to the Non-Governmental Charitable Organizations Act No. 43/2010, articles 13 and 28, and article 28 of the Regulations on the Construction of Ministries and Government Agencies, Regulation No. 01/2018.
- All private companies implementing development projects or emergency humanitarian aid must obtain a project implementation certificate from the Ministry of Planning and National Development as stated in the Non-Governmental Charitable Organizations Act No. 43/2010.
- International non-governmental organizations should encourage the funding of national non-governmental organizations and avoid competing with the activities that can be done by these organizations in order to strengthen the knowledge and performance of these national organizations, such as specified in the penalty clause of Article 35 of (Law No. 43/2010).
- USDAC, should not be a project implementer for other International Charity Organizations and United Nations Organizations, according to clause 3 of article 35 of (Law No. 43/2010).
- All employers are instructed that the vacancies of jobs that can be filled by citizens can not taken by foreigners, as stated in Article 34, 35 and 36 of the Law on Civil Servants (Law No. 31/2020).