Somaliland’s Road to Elections and Its Commitment to Stability in the Region

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Republic of Somaliland, is happy to inform the international community of the immense developments Somaliland is making in preparation for the forthcoming presidential and party elections scheduled to take place on November 13, 2024, and to address recent security challenges that impact our democratic process.

The NEC has been able to take meaningful measures that assure the credibility and transparency of this election: it has concluded verification of voter registration, finalized candidate nominations with a strict code of conduct, and ensured the necessary budget for the election. Accreditation for international observers is in process, adding weight to the transparency noted, while NEC commissioners have been sent out across all the regions to oversee polling stations. This therefore underlines Somaliland’s long-term commitment to ensuring a democratic and free electoral process.

Somaliland continues to be at the forefront in pursuit of peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. It spends over a third of its national budget on security, and despite heightened regional tensions, it has continued to invest in peaceful diplomacy and dialogue. Our approach toward conflict management, whether internally or externally, is the path of diplomacy and constructive engagement, which includes our commitment to addressing the Lasanod crisis through peaceful dialogue after the election.
In this region of complexity and volatility, Somaliland is deeply committed to the pursuit of stability and economic integration. Our progress in implementing initiatives such as the Berbera Corridor will be crucial in fostering economic connectivity for landlocked nations most exposed by recent regional crises.

This is, however, a grave concern for the security and sovereignty of Somaliland in light of the recent escalations of hostilities in the Qorilugud area. We are really concerned by reports that confirm the Mogadishu administration is collaborating with extremist groups to disrupt Somaliland’s electoral process, destabilize our regional standing. We do not want war, but as a sovereign nation, it is the right and duty of Somaliland to protect its citizens and territory against such threats.

We call on the international community to condemn any action that would undermine the security of Somaliland and place pressure on the parties concerned for them to desist from destabilizing support in the region. The international community stands in solidarity with us against terrorism and regional stability in support of those principles of peace, democracy, and sovereignty which Somaliland stands for the benefit of the whole of the Horn of Africa.