Nov 12, 2010

Somaliland: UN Representative Visits Hargeysa


 

The United Nations Secretary General’s special representative for Somalia Ambassador Agustin Mahiga has travelled to Hargeysa, the capital of self declared government region of Somaliland.

 

Below is an article published by Suna Times:

 

After leading a UN delegation to Puntland’s capital Garowe yesterday and meeting with president Abdirahman farole  and some members of his cabinet, the UN envoy flew to the other Northern region that declared itself independent from the larger Somalia.

Mahinga was received at the air port by Somaliland’s foreign affairs minster, Mohamed Abdullahi Omar. He later met with President Ahmed Silanyo and some members of his cabinet. The main issues discussed during the meeting were about security and humanitarian matters.

Mahinga is reported to have promised both Puntland and Somaliland administrations that the UN will soon open its offices in Hargeysa and Garowe to bring its services closer to the people.

The UN had earlier resolved to relocate most of its offices located in Somalia’s neighboring countries to the country. The last time the UN officially operated in Somalia was in 1993, two years after the civil war broke out.

This is the first visit by Mr. Mahinga to Somaliland and Puntland since his appointment as the UN envoy for Somalia and is believed to have been making security assessment before reporting back to the UN on whether the UN offices to be relocated in those two regions where some normalcy and peace exists.