Somaliland Overhaul Ministry Foreign Affairs

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 31, 2007 – The Somaliland ministry of foreign affairs is under review and restructuring to further enhance its effectiveness towards achieving Somaliland’s diplomatic goals said Abdillahi Duale, Somaliland’s minister of foreign affairs.

Minster Duale who is on a working visit to Ethiopia to cement ongoing relations with Ethiopia, the African Union, African nations, members of the EU, the Arab League and other regional organizations told SSI that his ministry is currently being overhauled to further enhance service delivery in addition to building capacity within his ministry as well as its missions abroad.

“We are reviewing all our missions in terms of personnel, capacity building and looking at ways to better equipping existing missions with additional resources”, said the minister.

Minister Duale also stated that his ministry has been making huge strides towards pressing for Somaliland’s recognition and that significant changes in stance have been seen in regards to the perception of how the international community sees Somaliland.

“The AU and other countries have stopped looking at the issue of Somaliland as a taboo and the AU and other countries are beginning to discuss the issue freely. In addition the Somaliland passport has been recognized by many states and that our missions are expanding across the world”, said Minister Duale.

Currently Somaliland has missions in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South East Asia.

Minister Duale has also appointed a new ambassador to Ethiopia Mohammed Sheikh Hassan who would be in charge of strengthening Somaliland’s relations with Ethiopia, the Au and other regional organizations based in Ethiopia.

In regards to the upcoming Ethiopian Millennium the minister said, “We consider this celebration very important for Ethiopia and the people of Somaliland would like to wish the Ethiopian government and people success. It is not only an Ethiopian millennium it an African millennium”.

Source: The Sub-Saharan Informer