Their Excellencies the President of the Republic of Somaliland, Musa Bihi Abdi, and the Vice President, Abdirahman Abdullahi Ismail ‘Zeii’i’, received, separately, two international delegations currently on a visit to the republic.
President Bihi and the European Union Ambassador for Somalia/Somaliland Nicholas Berlinga Martinez, met at the Presidency to further discuss bilateral relations, development and democracy-related programmes implemented in Somaliland on EU support.
The two sides discussed how the envisaged parliamentary and municipal elections could best be implemented within 2020 as advised by all stakeholders concerned.
During the meeting between the President and the EU ambassador, the statement added, regional security issues and other matters of mutual concern regarding the country and the region, in general, were raised.
Along with His Excellency the President, Minister Hassan Mohamed Ali ‘Gaafaadhi’ of the National Planning and Development, was present.
At a separate meeting at the Presidency, VP Zeili’i received the Director of the United Nations Capital Development Fund, David Jackson, and a delegation he led which included Dmitry Pozhidaev, the regional director, and Anka Kitunzi, UNCDF officer for Somaliland and Somalia.
The delegation, also, met with the Minister of Interior, Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, whose ministry is directly responsible for the implementation of the joint programmes. The JPLG has substantively covered far-eastern regions of Sanaag and Sool for the first time this year.
The UNCDF funds the Joint Programme on Local Governance and Decentralized Service Delivery (JPLG) is co-funded by UNDP, UNICEF, HABITAT, ILO and UNCDF.