The European Union Ambassador to Federal Somalia and the Republic of Somaliland, Veronique Lorenzo, states that the EU was proud to support the voter card distribution process that was about to begin Somaliland.
Card distribution will soon start in some of the major cities of Somaliland in preparation for Presidential elections slated for November 13.
Ms Veronique Lorenzo’s comment was made in a Tweet the Ambassador posted following a meeting she made to the fledgeling nation that the world, including the EU, repeatedly refuse to acknowledge existence of despite an exemplary record it forged for itself during the past 26 years during which it sailed ahead despite the odds made to pile against it. One of this is the EU, UN and AU obduracy to understand that Somaliland did not secede from Somalia but that it restored an independence on which it partnered with the younger Italian Somalia.
Starting voter card distribution in Somaliland – 13.11.17 presidential election. @EU_in_Somalia proud to support pic.twitter.com/sJRD083oyt
— Veronique Lorenzo (@VLorenzoEU) April 27, 2017
During her visit to Somaliland, the Ambassador held a meeting with his Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr, Saad Ali Shire, at his office in the capital Hargeisa. The ministry posted its version of what the two sides discussed on its Facebook page:
The Foreign Minister met with the European Union Ambassador Veronique Lorenzo who is visiting Somaliland to discuss about the elecions and the severe drought. The EU is very much concerned about the drought that has affected over 1.5 million people they have shown unwavering support to the drought relief efforts.
The Foreign Minister has told the EU Ambassador that the distribution of election registration cards may oppose a challenge because people are displaced. Most of the election voters in the regions were affected and displaced by the drought.
The Foreign Minister also raised the subject of Somaliland and Somalia talks and is ready to continue the talks with Somalia. The government of Somaliland is sincerely committed to improve and continue the Somaliland and Somalia talks. Somaliland wishes for a better neighborhood and peaceful co-existence of the two brotherly countries. Foreign Minister said ” Somaliland is an independent country and is not part of the federal states of Somalia. The Republic of Somaliland reclaimed its independence, and has since enjoyed self-governance and freedom.”
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, after a civil war in which many Somalilanders were killed. We will not cooperate in attempts to rebuild the former unified state of Somalia. We have built a separate state, which meets in full the criteria of customary international law for statehood, and which our peaceful and hard-working citizens are proud of.
The Foreign Minister told the EU Ambassador that Somaliland is extremely grateful to the EU for its strong support and friendship across a whole range of important issues.
Elections in Somaliland have been conducted on one-man, one-vote basis, unlike Somalia that calls for votes deciding leaders in heavily-fortified rooms, guarded by foreign troops paid for by the EU, itself – among others.
