By M.A. Egge
The first lot of international election observers has arrived in the country.
Making the revelation was Mr. Tim Cole, Chief of the International Observers upon arrival as he addressed the media.
He noted that he was in a group of five who just landed as they expected 20 more in the week. He said that the twenty short term observers would criss-cross the country as they made their observations.
The group is expected to hold numerous talks with the stakeholders starting from the National Electoral Commission (NEC) who invited them for the sole purpose of observing the elections, to all other concerned parties, including women groups.
International observers are mostly strictly independent even from their own sponsors and operate alongside an international outlined guideline.
They make their observations during pre-election time, the election itself and post-elections hence report on both preliminary and comprehensive basis.
This is a maiden trip to Somaliland by Tim Cole. It is his first visit. It is a year that sees international observers most busy and work the widest across the breadth of the earth.
Indeed, 2024 is the year that has gone into history as one witnessing the most number of elections to be held globally.
Somaliland joins the almost 4.3 billion people going to polls this year in more than 50 states holding their elections.
