Suldaanka;852667 wrote: Is it 14.06 million dollars in Siilaanyo's private account? And why does it have "Single" isn't he married? HRGD16913 AHMED MOHAMED MOHAMOUD(SIILAANYO) HAR HARGEISA - - D 1406.0000 2011-02-28 2010-05-08 SAVING ACCOUNT SINGLE - Y F 1 N QALOONBI - Personal N HRG -AHMED MOHAMED MOHAMOUD How do you get 14.06 million from "1406.0000" ? If anything judging from the decimal point it would be $1,400

Somaliland is poised to pass a banking law to help the flow of remittances and encourage much-needed foreign investment Mark Tran for the Guardian Without formal banks, Somaliland lacks cash machines or credit card facilities, obliging visitors to the country to bring in wads of dollars. But that is about to change as the former British protectorate is poised to pass a banking law that will, for the first time, allow companies to operate as formal banks, offering services taken for granted throughout much of the world. Somaliland paved the way for the new banking regime when it passed a law in April formally establishing a central bank. It has been a long time coming. Somaliland has existed – albeit without international recognition – since 1991, when it broke away from Somalia and declared itself a republic. For now, Somalilanders rely on remittance companies, notably Dahabshiil – one of Africa's biggest money-transfer companies, for their financial needs. Dahabshiil is run by the irrepressible Abdirashid Duale, who is busy planning the company's next phase. From its humble beginnings in the north-western town of Burao, the company – founded by Abdirashid's father, Mohamed Said Duale, in 1970 – has become a money-transfer powerhouse, operating in 155 countries, including all Somali-speaking regions – Somaliland, Somalia, Djibouti and parts of Ethiopia. It already has banking licences in Djibouti and Somalia. The Dahabshiil sign with the logo – fast money transfer you can trust – is plastered all over the capital, Hargeisa. An estimated $1.6bn-2bn is remitted to Somali territories by the diaspora every year and much of it goes through Dahabshiil, which operates around the clock, seven days a week. All of its main offices in Hargeisa are crowded. Women in hijabs, Somalilanders and foreign businessmen swarm around counters clutching pounds, dollars, Kenyan shillings and other currencies. At one office, Duale showed me a safe containing brick-size wads of $100 bills. At another office, Haider Ali, who works at a business selling fruit juices, had just sent money back home to Bangladesh. "I just sent $30,000; yesterday I sent $22,000," he said. "We sell juices all over east Africa, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya." Remittances have been the backbone of Dahabshiil's business, but now Duale is positioning the company for the new banking era. The company has been training staff in preparation for its licence to operate as a formal bank, although it already offers basic accounts to customers. "The biggest change will be that we will have full banking services, offering insurance, letters of credit and interbank financial transfers," he said. "As soon as the banking law is passed by parliament, we want to offer full banking services all over Somaliland, including rural areas." The infrastructure is already being put in place. Next to his cramped head office in bustling downtown Hargeisa, full of small merchants and the occasional seller of qat, a mild narcotic grown in Ethiopia, stands a new bank branch with tellers already in place, ready to spring into action. All it needs is a Dahabshiil Bank sign. A large eight-storey office building – the country's tallest – is nearing completion on Hargeisa's Freedom Square, where a Soviet MiG warplane perched on a plinth symbolises Somaliland's resistance to Siad Barre, the former Somali dictator. His planes tried to bomb Hargeisa into submission in 1988, turning it into "Africa's Dresden". The MiGs took off from Hargeisa airport – it was as if central London was being bombarded by aircraft taking off from Heathrow. Somaliland has gone for such a long time without a formal banking system because it has not really needed one until now, as the money-transfer system was cheap and efficient. But it is unsuitable for commercial transactions. "As the emphasis tips away from remittances to new trading relations, you need things like letters of credit, so there are gaps in the current system," said Mohammed Yusef, chief executive of Petrosoma, an oil exploration company based in Somaliland. The law can be expected to introduce competition, which Duale says he welcomes. "We already compete in 155 countries," he said. Cac, a Yemeni state-owned bank, Salaam African Bank, based in Djibouti, and Banque de Dépôt de Crédit Djibouti, a subsidiary of Swiss Financial Investments, have all expressed interest in starting operations in Somaliland, which has a population of 3 million, with 1 million people living in the capital. Somaliland hopes that the new banking law will make it easier for money to flow into a country in desperate need of foreign investment. Money from remittances has been used to build hospitals, schools and other infrastructure. But much more is needed. While money is clearly flowing into construction, judging by Hargeisa's building boom, roads are in dire need of resurfacing. Streets in Hargeisa are marked by potholes and ridges that slow traffic to a crawl. In a speech at a conference in Hargeisa this month, Duale spoke of the need for the diaspora to invest in infrastructure, which is a priority in the country's 2012-16 national economic plan – capital investment is proposed at $1.19bn, with 82% coming from external sources. In other moves to encourage foreign investment, Somaliland has set up a UK-linked corporation – the Somaliland Development Corporation – to provide assurance to foreign investors that they are signing contracts with a legitimate entity. Lack of international recognition has deterred foreign companies because they cannot get insurance cover. "Somalis have shown themselves to be capable of remarkable innovation and enterprise," said Duale. "However, their aptitude for business and trade can only be fully realised if there is the proper infrastructure in place to harness it." More prosaically, once a proper banking system is in place, cash machines will appear in Hargeisa, so that visitors can use their cards instead of bringing in large amounts of cash. http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/jul/23/somaliland-towards-news-banking-era?newsfeed=true

Peace is the best interests of all of Somaliland's citizens. Hopefully we will see this Ramadan these militas lay down their arms and reintegrate with the state inshallah

Master stroke by Silanyo. Proving once again Somaliland stands for peace and bringing together people across it's lands

Trying to pass it off to me? Usually it's the one who states the facts is the one to cite their sources....leading me to further believe you're statements are mere works of ficition

A_Khadar;846621 wrote: Really? Define somaliland/somalilanders? I think you should say, ISQLand/ISQLanders because many don't share this view.. "Rule #1 - Qabiil: absolutely no qabiil talk. Not even a mention of any qabiil/Clan name. No qabiil discussion of any kind." Watch out with the qabil names. You're not fooling anyone when you say ISQ. If you can't put forward your arguments without resorting to calling out clan names then maybe you shouldn't be debating at all.

Not shocked at his reaction at all. Children always pout when they're left out of grown up discussions

GaadhHaye;846587 wrote: Already sources in Somali capital city have confirmed... What sources? Sounds like pure conjecture....If you're going throw around ridiculous and outlandish statements at least back them up with evidence. Your desperation to paint a fantasy situation is almost laughable if it weren't so sad.

To early to tell. The signed agreement was short, vague and neutral in wording. I am optimistic about future developments

Insightful analysis. Looking the moves taken by the Silanyo administration over the past few months reveals a cohesive and well coordinated strategy that seeks to advance Somaliland's interests in relation to Somalia as well as putting forward it's case with the wider world. I think the dialogue will prove a useful tool in showcasing Somaliland to be a repsonsible partner in the geopolitical scene but also will remind the Somalia of the terms of their relationship, that is: Somaliland is completely out of the jurisdiction of Somalia to the point that even arranging a simple meeting with Somaliland's leaders is seen as a success to the TFG...quite sad when one thinks about it.

The first step of many but it will almost certainly end with Somalia formally dropping their Irredentist claims to the sovereign republic of Somaliland.

I cannot even comprehend how a phantom movement like "Awdal State" has any legitimacy when none of its so called leaders have not stepped one foot into Awdal region of Somaliland. They administer no physical territory, and only exist in rented party halls of the diaspora and servers of the web. Whereas Somaliland actually governs and administers the region, provides essential services to its people indiscriminately, and fully allows them participation in the democratic process and are represented in all levels of government....and yet people are insane enough to say the government of Somaliland is somehow oppressing them? Give me a break.

I don't even know how anyone can take Galaydh's "Khatumo" project seriously when the supposed "ministry of foreign affairs" puts out an unprofessional official statement that's full of spelling errors, ridiculous bias and baseless assumptions. When you make statements like "Faroole, the venal, mean-spirited ex- cab driver in Australia, who made it to the presidency of Puntland through shenanigans" and make up facts without any evidence like "Puntland has contracted cash-strapped Somaliland militia 300,000 dollars" you begin to realize this movement is a paper tiger at best and a clannish money making scheme at worst.

As usual, the delusional Cowke uses any opportunity to post pictures that everyone has seen a million times.

What's wrong with Osman (Cowke)? Why does he feel compelled to vomit a deluge of pictures the moment Xaaji posts a thread relating to a development project going on in Somaliand? Talk about insecurity. If you can't discuss something on topic then at least say mashallah and move on

Mashalllah. This project is moving fast. Infrastructure like this will do wonders for Somaliland's telecom and e-business industries

Xaaji Xunjuf;839487 wrote: Apart from the announcement that Somaliland is an important partner in Horn Africa regional security, and the need for enhanced bilateral relations as well as that Raila Odinga will make a reciprocal visit to Somaliland soon

I don't know what Qandalawi is talking about, it's been well documented that Siad Barre's indiscriminate bombing campaign decimated Somaliland and left little to no infrastructure left behind. It was only the people's resiliency and determination that rebuilt the nation.

Great stuff. Although I'm not the biggest fan of the WB, it's nice to see they acknowledge success and encourage more countries to follow in SL's footsteps

I think most Somaliland citizens would choose to be steadfast on their current course. Although I think some back then would have thought our path to nationhood would have been easier I think any alternative would have been a poor idea. It took the Dutch 80 years to defeat the Spanish and get recognition from the rest of Europe and if you were to ask them today if it was the right thing to do 100% of them would say yes.

Doubters and nay sayers always always move goal posts to protect their arguments. Before they said no one would ever accept the SL passport and now they're saying its no big deal now that a sovereign nation regards it as official.

^^^ Still identifies Somaliland as a separate and distinct political entity from Somalia. Looking at maps from 5-10 years ago and looking at them today shows that the reality on the ground is beginning to be accepted.

Somalia;838208 wrote: You post articles from them when you find it necessary to slander Puntland, have you no shame? Yes, and looking at your posting history it seems that is your favourite pastime

DJIBOUTI (Somalilandsun) – Commercial and security relations between Djibouti and Somaliland are set for enhancement. This is as an outcome of a meeting between the president of Djibouti H.E Ismail Omar Gelle and the Somaliland Vice president Hon Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail "Sayli" at the presidency in Djibouti, Where issues pertinent to enhanced diplomatic, commercial and security relations were discussed and agreed upon. VP Sayli, who returned to the country after the meeting with president Gelle, has been in Djibouti following an invitation from that country's Prime Minister Hon Dileita Mohamed Dileita since 31st May where he was accompanied by a high level delegation that he led in various functions during the four days official tour. The VP led delegation which also accompanied him to the meeting with President Gelle includes the minister of Information Hon Abdi Yusuf Duale "Boobe, Minister of posts & Telecommunication Hon Ali Elmi Gelle, Minister of Aviation Hon Mahmoud Abdi Hashi, a couple of parliamentarians as well as the 3rd deputy chairman of the ruling Kulmiye party Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Talyanle. According to the minister of information Hon Abdi Yusuf Duale "Boobe" who briefed the press in the VIP lounge at Berbera airport said that the visit to Djibouti which encompassed meetings and discussions with various stakeholders in that country including the prime minister, ministers, and business leaders culminated with the meeting with president Gelle. Minister Boobe revealed that though several issues were agreed upon, the fulcrum was Djibouti's recognition of Somaliland's passport, Said he, "From now henceforth users of the Somaliland passport will use it in their travels to Djibouti after president Gelle gave his approval" The information minister also informed that following successful negotiations by the VP delegation a Somaliland consulate was opened in Djibouti city where a Djiboutian of Somaliland origin was appointed representative; Hargeisa will also host a similar consulate for Djibouti which has also appointed a representative. "This is a major diplomatic coup that enhances the status of our country" Said Hon Boobe. According to the information minister, President Ismail Omar Gelle promised to facilitate foreign investment in Somaliland following the successful opening of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Jalelo village a few miles north-east of Hargeisa, in which Djiboutian investors own a sizeable chunk of shares. The bottling plant in question which is a $15,000,000 investment by Coca-Cola and its local partner the Somaliland Beverage Industries-SBI that owns 100% local franchise was commissioned by Somaliland president H.E Ahmed Mahmoud Silanyo a fortnight ago. The bottling plant which has a production capacity of 18,000 crates of assorted high quality Soda's is the biggest foreign investment in the country to date. Hon Abdi Yusuf Duale Boobe stressed on the significance of this promise which is not only a clear pointer to the cordial relations with Djibouti but once anticipated foreign investors start operations livelihoods for Somalilanders will be uplifted through availability of gainful employment opportunities. The information minister who also doubles as the official government spokesperson revealed that the VP's delegation toured several institutions of interest to the country mainly: the fishing port that is under construction by an Algerian company which will be dispatch to Somaliland courtesy of President Gelle thus undertake port deepening works at the Seyla port. On the eve of their departure from Djibouti the SL delegation met with Somalilanders in Djibouti, during a session where they were entertained by popular M/s Hibo Mohamed, Nuur Dala'aye and Hidig before briefing their countrymen on prevalent political, economic, social and security situations back home. Before departure for Somaliland the vice president who briefed members of at the Djiboutian presidency thanked his host prime minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita for the superb conduct of affairs that resulted in various cooperation agreements. The VP revealed that the Djiboutian prime minister has accepted an invitation for a reciprocal visit and will embark on the official tour in the near future thus put the final bolts to agreements reached Djibouti http://somalilandsun.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=831:somaliland-djibouti-president-to-solicit-foreign-investors-for-somaliland&catid=42:regional

Looks like article 6 is making a significant impact on how the international community deals with Somaliland. Great stuff.