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Hargeysa, Somaliland, July 31, 2010 (SL Times) – Somaliland’s new
Foreign Minister, Mohamed Abdillahi Omar (PhD), a senior figure in the
newly formed government, has taken over the office of the Ministry of
foreign affairs and international cooperation on Thursday.
At the handing over ceremony, the new Minister has outlined new focus in
foreign policy. He stated that Somaliland’s democratic achievements and
locally owned peace and stability have to be sustained and that for this
to happen Somaliland needs and increased international support and
investment in security, economic and public service sector. “Achieving
full political recognition will remain our main goal but ensuring that
international community offers support to Somaliland in these sectors is
of a paramount importance” stated the minister. “We will work with our
international partners in releasing these objectives” he added.
Speaking to Journalists after the ceremony, Dr. Omar, a British educated
with background in academia and Public sector Management said he would
also work on broadening and improving Somaliland’s trade relations with
the region and Arab World as well as on security cooperation.
The new Minister, who has been Kulmiye party foreign affairs spokesman
whose good record in diplomacy and building foreign relationships
includes fixing up Somaliland’s relationship with US Congress last year,
continued to say that he would seek to establish closer relationship
with African States and Arab World in a bid to create what he called “an
environment in which there would be less opposition to the Somaliland’s
search for political recognition”.
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