The Somaliland government and opposition parties sign new accord.

Jun 11, 2008

Hargeisa(QARAN)-

The Somaliland government and the opposition parties, KULMIYE and UCID have formally signed a new accord at a ceremony in Hargeisa.

At the ceremony held at the Maansor Hotel conference centre and attended by the Somaliland Vice-President Mudane Ahmed Yusuf Yasin, senior members of the Somaliland government, The chair of UCID party, Mudane Faisal Ali Warabe, the deputy chair of KULMIYE, Mudane Muse Bihi Abdi, religious scholars, members of the Somaliland parliament, the Ethiopian ambassador in Somaliland and other guest, the final agreement between all three Somaliland parties, KULMIYE, UCID and the ruling party UDUB was formally signed.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mudane Ahmed Yusuf Yasin paid tribute to all those who had participated in the dialogue, discussion and consensus which have led to the formulation of this accord.Mudane Ahmed Yusuf stated that this agreement will bring a lasting resolution to the recent debates in Somaliland and will enable the National Elections Commission to continue its mandate to administer free and fair elections across the country.

Vice-President Ahmed Yusuf Yasin concluded his brief remarks by stating that all Somalilanders should rejoice as the result of this agreement and continue to follow the time tested formula for resolving any issues through dialogue, discussion and consensus whilst at the same time aware of the difficult economic times not only in Somaliland but across globe affecting food and fuel prices.

Other dignitaries who also made brief comments at the signing of the new accord between the three Somaliland parties included, Mudane Faisal Ali Warabe, chair of the UCID party and Mudane Muse Bihi Abdi, deputy chair of the KULMIYE party who also both paid tribute to the Somaliland people for assuring that recent political debates have been resolved through dialogue, discussion and consensus.

The signatories of the new accord between the three Somaliland parties were as follows:-
For UDUB : The Somaliland Vice-President Mudane Ahmed Yusuf Yasin
For UCID: The Chair of the Party, Mudane Faisal Ali WarabeFor KULMIYE:
The deputy Chair of the Party, Mudane Muse Bihi Abdi
For Somaliland National Elections Commission: Chair, Mohamed Ismail

The main points of the agreement:

1. The Presidential elections will precede the local assembly elections.
2. The voter registration process will completed prior to local assembly elections.
3. The Somaliland National Elections Commission(NEC) will set the date the Presidential elections after the completion of the voter registration process.
4. The Somaliland Presidential election must be take place before 6th of April 2009.
5. Voter registration laws concerning the Somaliland Presidential elections which cannot be implemented in time must be rescinded.
6. The creation of a committee consisting of members from the NEC and the three Somaliland parties to resolve any unforeseen issues relating to the elections, with the added proviso that the Somaliland House of Elders will ratify the committees resolution without extension.
7. The creation of a standing technical committee consisting of one member from each Somaliland party to facilitate co-operation between the Somaliland government and the opposition parties. The first three nominees of the standing technical committee are as follows:

1. Mudane Ismail Bulaale, Secretary-General, UDUB
2. Mudane Aden Mohamed Mire, Deputy Chair, UCID
3. Mudane Abdirahman Abdilqadir Farah, 2nd Deputy Chair, KULMIYE

In general the Somaliland public both at home and abroad have welcomed the settlement of the recent political debates in the country heralded by this accord.

Source Qarannews