2022 Somaliland-American Conference Memo:

This  memo summarizes the Somaliland-American Conference hosted by Somaliland  Professionals of America (SLPA) and the Somaliland Mission to the  United States held on March 19, 2022.  

The  aim of the conference was to bring together delegates from Somaliland  and stakeholders from the Somaliland diaspora to engage in critical  discussions on the political, social and economic development of  Somaliland. The conference began with introductory remarks by SLPA,  followed by opening remarks by the Somaliland Representative in the  United States, Bashir Goth, and a keynote address given by Somaliland’s  Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Essa Kayd. Journalist Mona Kosar Abdi  served as the conference’s Master of Ceremonies (MC). 

 Following  the opening ceremonies, the conference consisted of five panels with  panelists ranging from members of the Somaliland delegation to  distinguished leaders in academia, business, and the nonprofit sector.  The panels elaborated on Somaliland’s foreign affairs, gender and  inclusive politics, healthcare and education, democracy, justice and  freedom of speech, and business and economic growth. A theme  underpinning the panels was the exploration of opportunities that exist  for the Somaliland diaspora to support the country’s development. An  overview of each panel is provided below: 

 1. Dynamics in the Horn of Africa vis-a-vis US & Chinese rivalry and the unique role of Somaliland: The first panel explored Somaliland’s geopolitical environment, honing  in on the differences in approaches to diplomacy between superpowers  United States and China. Furthermore, it also examined Somaliland’s  strategic relationships with the world powers, as well as Somaliland’s  interests within the Horn of Africa and globally. Somaliland’s current  diplomatic priority is for world powers to recognize its successful and  democratic sovereignty. A key takeaway was the message that strategic  relationships should lean on similar interests and focus on cultivating  mutual benefits to advance that goal.  

2. Gender and Inclusive Politics: Ensuring Equitable Representation of Somaliland Women in Politics: The  second panel focused on gender and inclusive politics in Somaliland.  Some of the ways Somaliland aims to improve women’s political  participation include: instituting a quota for women in political  positions, establishing a fund to support women in election processes,  and empowering women engaged in community work. Obstacles to women’s  political involvement persist, such as the need for increased women’s  voter registration. The importance of women in the diaspora entering  politics within their own countries was also raised as it would benefit  the international Somaliland communities.  

3. Healthcare and Education Challenges and the Role of the Diaspora: The  third panel touched on healthcare and education, identifying the  challenges that exist today (e.g., underqualified teachers and  curriculum development in education) and highlighting high-impact  initiatives  taking place in Somaliland and the United States to spark  change. An overview of Burco Academy of Science and Technology, a school  equipping students with the in-demand skills needed to enter the  workforce, was provided in the panel discussion. In addition, Hargeysa  Book Fair, an annual cultural event that promotes Somali art, culture,  and knowledge production, was discussed. Overviews of non-profit  organizations making significant contributions to Somaliland such as  Somalilander-American Health Association - SAHA, an organization that  aims to build a better healthcare system in Somaliland through  supporting greater professionalization, regulation, and ethics, and  Amoud Foundation, a charity that implements critical health, food,  Somaliland-American Conference Memo  water and education projects across  Somaliland, were also presented. Amoud Foundation was noted as a  sponsor for the conference.  

4. Democracy, Justice, and Freedom of Speech: The current party system and future thoughts of elections and Media and Conflict: The fourth panel investigated democracy, justice, and freedom of speech  in Somaliland and globally. A focal point of the discussion was  Somaliland’s success in sustaining democratic governance, including  effective separation of powers and a democratic election process. The  panel touched on how freedom of speech and journalism are under attack  globally, and how it is important for everyone to educate themselves on  identifying fake and legitimate news and be conscious of  misinformation. 

 5. Business and Job Creation: The Ministry of Trade discusses Investment Opportunities in Somaliland: The fifth and final panel explored business development and job  creation. From a government standpoint, panelists discussed strides made  in advancing intellectual property rights, introducing online business  registration and building an infrastructure for e-commerce. Challenges  to economic growth include a high unemployment rate and the reliance on  foreign imports due to the lack of investment in domestic productive  activities in Somaliland. Industry partners focused on how their  companies (Telesom, Dahabshiil) contribute to job creation directly and  through numerous subsidiary businesses across sectors (e.g.,  construction, gas, ride-sharing, finance) which also employ thousands,  particularly those in marginalized communities. Tapping into the  potential of the growing local population and the expansive Somaliland  diaspora, which both fuel economic activity in the country, are two key  areas for advancing the economy. 

The Somaliland-American Conference was a tremendous success. SLPA and the  Somaliland Mission to the United States welcomed and hosted the  Somaliland delegation, brought together 300+ attendees from the United  States and Canada, and engaged Somaliland’s leaders and diverse members  of the diaspora in discussions on topics that are key to the country’s  development. 

Document Written By: Deqa Mohamed 

Edited By: Hodan Gudal  

On behalf of the SLPA Conference Planning and Logistics Committees, consisting of members: 

Issaq Gass

  Chair of Planning and Programming Committee

Yasin Abdi 

Faiza Ali

Suad Jama

Mohamed Gulaid

Mahad Gudal

Samia Abdullahi

Sherif Ismail 

Abbas Elmi

Deqa Mohamed

Chair of Logistics and Operations Committee 

Hodan Gudal 

Hassan Abdirahman 

Ismael Abdirahman

Adam Ahmed

Abdifatah Meri 

Abdullah Omar

Hamze Ismail

Zamzam Nur

Abby Hussein

Nadira Ali   

Salaam All,

We are working hard behind the scenes for our target launch date of Q1 2019. Thank you all for being members and we look forward to working with you. As some of you may have heard, the newly appointed Foreign Minister Hon. Yasin Hagi Mohamud Hir and Presidential Economic Advisor Dr. Osman Sheikh Ahmed are in Washington DC to meet with high-ranking US government officials. The goal of their trip is to further diplomatic relations between the US and Somaliland. As part of their trip to DC, they will be meeting the Somaliland Community on Saturday night December 8th at the Waterford-Fair Oaks at 7PM. The address is 12025 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway Fair Oaks, Virginia 22033. If any one is in the area, it would be a great honor to join us at this event. There will be a Q&A session at the end for the Foreign Minister and the Presidential Economic Advisor, so please come prepared with questions! For any questions regarding the location or questions about the event please feel free to contact SLPA at 202-241-0017 or any of the contacts on the flyer attached. 

Best Regards,

SLPA 

Updates

• SLPA committee met with the newly appointed Somaliland Ambassador Mr. Bashir Goth at the Somaliland Mission in DC on 10/06. The ambassador is in full support of SLPA. Ambassador Goth mentioned that the youth and professionals are the key demographics he plans to work with to push the Somaliland cause. He believes SLPA can be a space to bring the brightest minds together.
• SLPA committee took part in the welcoming event for Ambassador Bashir Goth in the DC area on 10/13. SLPA committee spoke at the event and introduced the idea of the association to the DC community. Many community members welcomed the idea and registered to be apart of the association. See link to Ambassador Bashir Goth's speech: Amb. Bashir Goth DC Community Event
  
• SLPA committee has been meeting twice a week for the past month to be on track for the official launch Q1 of 2019. We are also looking to expand the committee so please email us if you're interested in being more involved.

Next Steps

• To create social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to increase engagement and membership.
• To provide monthly updates via email on progress until launch date of Q1 2019.