Nairobi, Kenya, June 13, 2006 – Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin arrived in the country on Monday for an official visit at the invitation of the Kenya government.

Addressing a press conference at the Wilson Airport on arrival, he said Somaliland was making significant progress towards international recognition as a sovereign state.

Mr. Kahin who said he was in the country to discuss issues pertaining to his country and the region with Kenyan leaders, observed that Somaliland was a peaceful, democratic country with functioning government unlike Somalia which he said was chaotic.

"We hope the international community will soon come to terms with the reality that there is no country called Somalia and accept Somaliland as an independent entity," said Kahin who was received at the airport by Special Projects Minister John Munyes. Mr. Kahin was accompanied by his Foreign Affairs Minister Edna Aden among other officials.

Somaliland is the northwestern territory of the former Democratic Republic of Somalia that seceded in 1991 following the ouster of dictator Siyad Barre.

The international community, except Ethiopia, has however refused to recognize the breakaway territory as a sovereign entity.

Compared to Somalia, Somaliland is relatively peaceful with a functioning administration with its headquarters in Hargeysa. Somaliland held democratic elections last September which were won by the UDUB party [United Democratic Party]. Observers from several countries declared the elections free, fair and peaceful.

Mr. Kahin is visiting the country at a time when Somali President Abdillahi Yusuf Ahmad is also in the country. Asked whether the two visits were connected, Kahin answered in the negative, saying that the two countries were independent of each other.

Source: KBC