|
It has
been almost three weeks when I, and the chairman and the presidential
candidate of the UCID party, Engineer Faisal Ali Waraabe left for Saudi
Arabia for performing the Umra and meeting with Saudi authorities and
with Somaliland communities in Saudi Arabia.
Hence, I would like to depict in a few words what we have seen there
during our trip.
Somaliland Relations with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is the core of the Islamic world. Our country Somaliland
has had multifaceted relations with Saudi Arabia since the formations of
the Saudi Kingdom by King Abdulaziz, the founder the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia. Somaliland people were among the earliest immigrants primarily
from Africa who worked with the founder of Saudi kingdom, King Abdulaziz.
They used to be cooks, drivers as well as special guards for the royal
household. King Abdulaziz and other members of the Royal family adored
the people of Somaliland origin for their being sincere, truthful,
industrious, and active.
Despite this relationship, we also used to export our livestock
particularly the sheep to Saudi Arabia via Berbera Port. Saudis named
our sheep “Berberians” after the port of Berbera.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia renders intimate respect and priority to our
country for its strategic geographical location, particularly the port
of Berbera. During our trip, we found out that Somaliland community in
Saudi Arabia was unhappy and uncomfortable about why Somaliland
neglected such longstanding relationship with the Kingdom. Thus, the
question one can be asked is: Who is to blame for this neglected
relationship? Is there an answer which can satisfy the people of
Somaliland?
Somaliland Foreign Policy
Our country’s foreign policy seems to have neglected establishing
relations with the Arab countries in general and with Saudi Arabia in
particular. Whenever Somaliland authorities are asked why they have not
set up relations with the Arab countries, their answer is often that the
Arab countries want to maintain Somaliland and Somalia unity (Former
Somali Republic) and they don’t like Somaliland independence; while from
the Arab countries’ foreign policy perception, this may be the case.
What is preventing us from reviving our relationship with countries like
Saudi Arabia and to persuade them to see our case? Today, it is a high
time to restore this important relationship. This can be done easily
with the help and the support of Somaliland community in Saudi Arabia,
particularly the Somaliland professional and business people of whom
some of them have Saudi citizenship or are Saudis themselves.
If we manage and succeed to restore such a relationship with Saudi
Arabia, we can derive a lot of political and economical benefits, for
instance, continuation of the exportation of our livestock to Saudi
Arabia and investment by Saudi business people in our country.
Factors That Can Increase or Decrease Our Quest for International
Recognition
We withdrew from the union with Somalia in 1991, and we have been
independent for approximately two decades. Since then, we tried our best
to get recognition. Despite this fact, we are still waiting for
recognition. Now it is a time to evaluate and review the situation.
Berbera Port has been for hundreds of years where livestock has been
exported to Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries as well as an
important post and gateway to the Horn of Africa. Recently there have
been some neighboring countries who want to undermine our sources, such
as ports and the exportation of livestock. This has an enormous impact
on our economic development as well as our quest for recognition.
On another aspect, we have growing national business communities, such
as Telesom and Dahabshiil with all the relevant experience and resources
to set up private banks or other financial institutions. Why do we need
a broker or intermediate office with two or three persons in Hargeysa
with the intention of diverting our financial relationship (letter of
credits) with the rest of the world to another country?
If we are willing to achieve the objectives of which we had set up our
state – Somaliland, we should think seriously today and make a change,
and we can. Now we have an opportunity, an important opportunity and
that is the forthcoming presidential election.
As a priority, we have to do two things to start with. First, we have to
make sure that we must have an election on the 27th of September.
Second, this election should be peaceful, free and fair.
Wabilaahi Tawfiiq
Dr. Mohamed-Rashid Sheikh Hassan
|
