Somali Community welcomes our ambassador to Ethiopia to Toronto, Canada.

[Fiqikhayre]

A pan Somali gathering welcomed our Ambassador to Ethiopia Mr. Laqanyo to Toronto Canada. It is said that this is the first pan Somali event and gathering whereby they combined welcomed a high ranking and senior representative of the TFG.

 

Here are the pictures of that welcome and special event and welcoming ceremony held for our ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassdor for Ethiopia, Mr. Laqanyo.

 

Picture's quality isn't that good but nevertheless enjoy the pictures inshallah.

 

 

 

 

 

Poet Togane in the crowd

 

 

 

 

Ambassador Laqanyo

 

 

 

 

[Fiqikhayre]

 

 

[Abwaan]

When the Mbagathi group was first established, I heard that this guy (Mr Laqanyo, I was wondering if most of us know about his bacground) was named the so-called Ambassador on Ethiopia's request. If that is the case, who does he work for?

[General Duke]

^^^lol. Ambasador Farah Laqanyo was a young leader of the Hiiraan region before the TFG was and with the creation of the TFG he worked hard to bring Hiiraan community on board. Thanks to his and many others Hiiraan today is a solid TFG region, and he has done a marvelous job as the Ethiopian & AU ambassador for the Somali republic.

[General Duke]

Envoy asks Somalis to return

 

Ambassador says diaspora's expertise `more precious than money' in rebuilding country battered by violence since 1991

 

Mar 19, 2007 04:30 AM

Surya Bhattacharya

STAFF REPORTER

 

A top Somali envoy says his war-ravaged country needs more than just international funds to rebuild – it needs its people back.

 

Abdikarin Farah, Somalia's ambassador to the African Union and Ethiopia, is urging the diaspora to return and contribute funds and skills to rebuild basic public institutions like the courts, hospitals and transportation infrastructure.

 

"We are encouraging them to come back to Somalia," Farah said yesterday after meeting with leaders from Somalia's Toronto community.

 

"We want them to give us their thoughts. Their expertise is more precious than money itself."

 

About 150,000 Somalis have settled in Canada since civil war broke out in 1991, and an estimated 100,000 make their home in the GTA, according to the Somali-Canadian National Congress. The most recent figures available from Statistics Canada, however, state there were about 34,000 Somalis living in Canada in 2001.

 

Although Canada supports humanitarian efforts in Somalia, Farah would like to see more direct monetary support that will help the government rebuild basic infrastructure in the country.

 

"We appreciate the Canadian government and their people for the kindness they have shown our people during the last 16 years, when we really needed them," said Farah. "When most of the world was rejecting our people, they opened their doors to us.

 

"Today those refugees have turned out to be the most precious members of our diaspora."

 

Farah, who represents Somalia's fragile Transitional Federal Government, will meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today to drum up financial support for reconstruction efforts and request the appointment of an envoy to the East African country.

 

Although recognized by international bodies like the United Nations, the new government struggles to bring peace and stability to even the capital city.

 

"There is not one building in Mogadishu that is not partly destroyed by war," Farah said.

 

About 400 Ugandan soldiers – part of a larger body of African Union peacekeeping troops – arrived earlier this month to protect the government. The peacekeepers will also allow for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops, which helped the administration topple a radical Islamic militia that recently controlled much of southern Somalia for six months.

 

Farah said judicial and law enforcement support is needed from Ottawa, so that the fledgling government in Mogadishu can model its institutions after Canada's systems.

 

With the Peace Reconciliation Conference scheduled for mid-April in Mogadishu, Farah is redoubling his efforts to speak with members of Somalia's various diasporas that have settled in countries such as the United States, Britain and Canada.

 

Farah, 37, was part of that exodus. Forced to leave Somalia at 16, he moved to Britain to complete his undergraduate and graduate programs in politics.

 

The conference is expected to draw members of the diaspora, and "anybody who feels they're outside the TFG or the tribes. Once and for all, we would like to wrap it all up," he said.

 

Long-term rebuilding efforts are estimated to be in the "trillions," he said.

 

Farah hopes Somalia will be able to profit from world trade through its 3,350-kilometre-long coastline that will link China, India and the Middle East to the West. As well, he says the country has rich oil and uranium deposits to help its economic recovery.

[Kamalu Diin]

well done.

[NASSIR]

The Diaspora will go back Inshallah If they know with certainty the existance of a strong legal system and an oasis of peace and prosperity. It is the Diaspora that built both Somaliland and Puntland and it will be them who will start building up the rest of the country.

[Taleexi]

Originally posted by Caamir:

The Diaspora will go back Inshallah If they know with certainty the existance of a strong legal system and an oasis of peace and prosperity. It is the Diaspora that built both Somaliland and Puntland and it will be them who will start building up the rest of the country.

Well put Kamalu Diin and Caamir. With that said, if one observes carefully how Somali saga is unfolding, Somalia is yet again in the brick of total collapse due to some of us want to keep Somalia in the loop of lawlessness and anarchy and the presence of Ethiopians is also a factor which is fueling the continuation of resistance call which can be a legit or sabotage depending which angle you look at it.

 

Good question to ask would be, a warm welcoming received by a Somali ambassador in Canada how much problem would it solve regarding what is ongoing in Somali soil, in my book almost intangible I say. BTW,Good gesture IGA DHEH!

[Taako Man]

^ The Ambassador is meeting with Peter Mackay. He is the second in command or the left hand man of PM Harper.

 

Hopefully he gets Canada's support. Diplomatic, Financial, or whatever.

 

 

From the looks of the meeting ( I know some people in the pictures) there are members from a wide array of Somalia. I see reer banadiri, reer shabelleha dheexe, Reer hiiraan, reer Bari and much more. This is a great objective.

[Alle-ubaahne]

^^I only see an alcoholic Laqanyo and the congress of few Northern Gaalkacyo subclan, nothing more. See, if that was an ambassador for all somalis, you would see the rest of SOLers coming to remark here about their veiws as their own ambassador.

 

the same is true with Mohamed Kooshin, the little dabo-dhilif in Seattle, who presented himself as the true Somali ambassador to the States.

 

You guys are showing the good story of your clan's minorityhoodness among the somali people, and that every conferrence you hold, your minorityhoodness shows up with striking colors!

 

Let N. Gaalkacyo dream about its dreams!

 

we expect you to set an example for the Dabo-dhilifs to come in the world for the future!

[Taako Man]

^ LOOOOOL sxb. I Live in the said city. I know the people personally and intimately. There are people from all clans. There are no recognizable people from North Galkacyo.

 

You can even ask MMA. I see a former banadaari Ambassador. A person from Dayniile a singer from Hiraan a poet from Jowhar etc. They all support their government.

[Liibaan]

qabiil ubaahne is blind

[Alle-ubaahne]

^^Taako, you can deny it in the same way you denied the presence of Ethiopian Troops in Somalia some time ago!

 

What you've left to deny is that you used to be a Muslim once upon a time, I say. Keep denying, for N. Gaalkacyo will not make us to believe anything as long as they lead the Fadaro enemy as low-ranking dabo-dhilif of the year!

[Taako Man]

^ Now you are questioning my Islam? Istaqfurallah. You are one crazy fellow.

[Jabhad]

^One Amxaaro orphan's longing for approval..The simplest wedding in TO attracts more crowds compare to the welcome party held for the fake Mbagathi ambassador. Pointing out the few Buubaa's in the crowd will not help the Ethiopian project succeed in Somalia. Of those 100,000 Somalis in GTA, 50,000 live in TO and the fake ambassador is lecturing his own close relatives and some delusional Yeey supporters.

 

Thanks to his and many others Hiiraan today is a solid TFG region, and he has done a marvelous job as the Ethiopian & AU ambassador for the Somali republic.

Amxaaro orphans should stop lying. Majority people of Hiiraan support independent and free Somalia and not the enemy that bombed their cities. I know that for a fact.