EU delegation head, Mr Richard Hands speaking to reporters last Thursday in Hargeysa airport

Hargeysa, Somaliland, April 19, 2008 (SL Times) – A Donor delegation representing the European Commission in addition to such countries as the UK, USA, Norway, Sweden and Denmark arrived in the Somaliland capital Hargeysa on Tuesday, April 8 as the country’s 3 major political parties were on the verge of reaching an agreement on a time line for conducting the voter-registration exercise as well as the elections (municipal and presidential).

A 3 partite agreement was signed up by UCID, KULMIYE and UDUB on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 in Hargeysa. The parties agreed to a time line set out by the NEC.

The visiting representatives of the donor community welcomed the agreement, reiterating their support of the NEC.

However most of the members of the donor delegation left Hargeysa on Thursday following the Guurti’s unilateral decision extending president Riyale’s term in office for year.

An EC officer and a colleague of his from the UK’s Department for International Development however remained in Hargeysa until last Saturday morning. Before leaving for Nairobi in that afternoon, here is what they had to say:

“We came here with messages of support for the work of the National Electoral Commission and particularly for the Tri-partite agreement signed on the 9 th of April Wednesday evening with regard to a consensus on a time line which is practical and time line feasible for holding the voter registration and the elections. We salute that achievement. We know that it wasn’t easy. It is always hard to compromise on politics and we salute the courage of the 3 political parties, all of them signed up to this agreement. And it is therefore with some disappointment and dismay that we see this consensus now being challenged. We feel these risks tarnishing the reputation that Somaliland has worked so hard to build as a nation committed to democratic and peaceful development.

So we need to go back a little earlier to consult with our fellow donors and our bosses to see how the international community is going to react to this. But in the meantime we are authorized to say to you that we call on all parties immediately and without delay to respect the constitutional mandate of the NEC, which is solely competent to establish the dates for elections and to move forward in the implementation of the tri-partite agreement reached on the 9 th of April.

We would like to add in this context that contrary to certain allegation that has been made over the last couple of days, at no point has the absence of money from the donor community been a stumbling block. Our money has been on the table from the start for this and for many other things as you know. And it is still there. But there are things that need to happen here now in terms of building for and taking forward that consensus which has been established and which is so precious.

We have consistently maintained the position that in this young fragile democracy that you worked so hard to build coming from such suffering, that there are inconsistencies in your legal framework. There are contradictions between the constitution, between some of the laws and between those laws themselves.

This is not because your lawmakers are evil or with bad intent. It is because of lack of experience and the lack of know how to make legally tight documents. And in that context we do not find it helpful to have recourse to legal disputes for what is essentially a political problem that needs a political solution. And that solution has to be build through consensus. That is simply the nature of the situation in Somaliland today. It is the wisdom that you have acquired in the last years. We admire it we respect it and we wish it’s taken forward.

We have discussed with all the counterparts and the stakeholders that there are areas of agreement on the voter registration. There is no contention about this. It should be taken forward and the necessary steps taken. And we call on all parties to do that as soon as possible. There has already been enough delay.

And last not least we appeal to all Somalilanders to practice restraint and on the political leaders not only practice restraint but to lead by example in refraining from insensate rhetoric or provocative acts and to sit down together and to continue to build on this consensus that the NEC has worked so hard to build and the parties have shown such courage in signing up to.

So please calm, restrain and consensus.”

However the above statement was not received well within the Somaliland government circles.

President Riyale’s administration was simply not happy with the fact that the donors declared their support for the NEC as evidenced by the Foreign Minister’s reaction when he told the Guurti. “I shouldn’t be blaming the donors alone, look at what the NEC has done too. It opposed the Guurti’s decision as well.”

Source: Somaliland Times