The organisations Somaliland Societies in Europe (SSE) and Somaliland Community in Belgium (SBC) are set to host a high profile panel session on 29 January 2007 in Brussels, Belgium. UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin has been invited to be a panellist at the conference, where he will represent UNPO’s views on the future of Somaliland.
                                            
His presence on the panel will be accompanied by Glenys Kinnock MEP, Co- President Africa Caribbean Pacific - EU Joint Parliament Assembly; Nickolas White, Head of Independent Diplomat, Brussels Office; Mohamoud Abdi Daar, Somaliland Representative in Belgium and the European Commission; and Eid Ali Ahmed, Chairman of SSE.

Additional meetings with MEPs, EC Commissioners, Belgian governmental officials, and representatives from international NGOs are scheduled as complimentary events to the panel session.

Panellists will cover salient issues such as Somaliland’s sustained stability in relation to the rest of the Horn of Africa region, the contributing role of international institutions in building on Somaliland’s successes and international recognition for Somaliland.

International recognition stands to build on previous achievements in regards to development, economic growth and political stability; as well as enabling further ties between Somaliland and the international community. Further, recognition would contribute to achieving a viable and stable horn of Africa.

The panel session culminates the organisations’ two day Annual General Meeting, which will focus on cultural issues within Somaliland communities living in Europe, with a particular focus on youth related matters.