Somaliland
Kuwaiti Emir Meets Somaliland President
May 2, 2011 · 32 Comments
KUWAIT CITY — This weekend the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received a high level delegation from Somaliland led by President Ahmed M. Silanyo at his palace for talks.
The Emir applauded the President and the people of Somaliland for their efforts in stabilizing their country and for the formation of functioning government. He urged the Somaliland people to maintain peace and tranquillity that the state had been enjoying for the last two decades. He said Kuwait is willing to assist Somaliland directly in key areas of development. He pointed out that Kuwait is already providing funds for a number of initiatives including hospitals and airports.
The President thanked the Kuwaiti Ruler for the warm welcome and briefed him of the situation in Somaliland. He discussed the areas of security, development, economy and political atmosphere.
The President talked in detail about the opportunities to invest in mineral exploration, marine resources, agricultural products and livestock supplies for the Gulf nation. He said Somaliland is open for business and is willing and keen to deal with Kuwait, its corporate and other relevant sectors.
The President also past on a report detailing Somaliland’s needs and an urgent request for practical assistance as well as aid and investment which the Kuwaiti Ruler promised to study. Later in the day, the Emir organized a meeting between Somaliland delegation and Kuwaiti donor groups and aid agencies. They told the President they will send officials to Somaliland to gather information and decide how they can help.
This is the first time a Somaliland leader has directly met with the Emir of Kuwait. Mr Silanyo expressed his profound thanks and appreciation for the Sheikh, government and people of Kuwait for their support and understanding.
The Gulf nation has one tenth of entire world’s oil reserves and a per capita income of US$55,300.
The President and his delegation which includes the Foreign Minister have been touring the Gulf states of United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for the past two weeks. The trip was aimed at promoting relations between the Arab nations and the African state. Somaliland was also seeking direct investment and development assistance in number of fields. Both UAE and Kuwait insisted they will help Somaliland combat maritime piracy off the coast of neighbouring Somalia.
Somaliland is a former British protectorate that gained independence June 1960. It later unified with the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somaliland) forming what became known as the Somali Republic. However the union collapsed in 1991 following two decades of internationally-hidden civil war that left more than 50,000 Somalilanders killed. In May 1991, Somaliland declared the restoration of its sovereignty however it has not managed to regained international recognition.
(Editing by Mark T. Jones)
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Tags: Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Somaliland, UAE
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Thats great news, we welcome Emir Sabah's vision and he definitely is wise man. God does not just throw resources that vast (oil) in the hands of some crazy men. The fact that Kuwait has 1/10 of the world's oil is a blessing.
It has to use it wisely by constructing Kuwait and diversifying its economy and lifting scientific knowledge also by making friends along the way. Friends that have your back in the future. One day you have it next day you may not, such is this world.
Thank you Kuwait.
wallalo kuwait is extremly rich. However you have to remember the way that ahmed silanyo has managed somaliland's money. I think he has done a good job. I was surprised to see him elected, but he has been ever present in managing somalilands economy. He has not done everything alone, but you have to remember that he has made great strides in trying to get somaliland recognised, e.g. Economically. Things are getting better by the day for S/Land.
May Allah bless Somaliland and its friends. Kuwait is a great country but the only two things negative aspects about it is its refusal to grant citizenship to the stateless Arab Bedouins within its borders and the appalling treatment of Asian labourers and servants working in Kuwait. They should fear Allah and address these pressing issues.
I am 100% sure you are repeating what other write have not seen it on the ground
1- Those stateless are not they are from Syria Jordan Iraq Saudi Iranian, that want Kuwaiti citizen that why they hide there passport and many did fix the ID after been show there files from there original counties. Also many of them stapes Kuwaitis in the back in 1990. Some have cousins in Kuwait and want Citizenship. Today many of them want back and like 20 thousand Syrian presented there Syrian document to have adjusment.
2-As for worker you need to see the crimes that they bring with them gangs, prostitution, drugs, stealing, and many more not all of them do it but almost 90% crimes from them. They been treated very nice except for isolated incident. Do you know Kuwait have the largest percentage of convert to Islam in the world even one of the top ten best wedding in Kuwait was for a maid paid by here employer.
So i tell you i lived in Kuwait and any one that did he know the big number of crimes committed by foreign workers as in there lawless counties.
If you visit any GCC country or the Asian labor counties you will see it and live it.
All the fagesh will not sleep for two weeks, they are desperately running around with a photoshopped photo of Silanyo with that blue flag that we use it in the toilet. How sad is that? They are begging. They wish that flag was there next to Silanyo, Silanyo probably spits on it.
No shame.
Yeah I wonder why waste time on these amateur photos, instead of try to fix your own country and bring peace to it, envy is truly a self-destructive emotion.
I saw that photo and couldn't stop laughing at the desperation. Whatever helps them sleep at night, I guess. If you try that hard to erase the reality of Somaliland because it bothers you that much, you must be clinically insane. Nothing is more of an imaginary than the state of Somalia for the past 20 years.
Every visit counts, its one step forward. Someone somewhere will be wondering who is that man and delegation meeting the Kuwait ruler, they will be enquiring about Somaliland. The world is discovering Somaliland is not that failed state that cant do anything for it self for 20 years other than kill each others. Each kills the one he or she is stronger. No sense of ethics, values or brain.
This visit is another step further away from Somalia and its chaos.
I am still advocating for ties with the State of Israel. President Siraanyo, time to make a visit to Tel Aviv. Arabs are quiet useless to be frank, like Abraham pointed out. It does not make sense to me that Arab chiefs like Sheikh Sabah have kicked out the badouins from their land and refused to recognize them as human beings, as citizens.
At least in Israel, Palestinians go to school, have recognition documents and have the option to thrive if they stop firing missiles. At least in Israel there is equality and one can pursue a career.
Kuwait your oil reserves mean nothing as long as badouins are dying in foreign land, as long as they are queueing up in refugee camps along side Somalis who destroyed their homes.
Israel is the right option for Somaliland. Israeli weapons and technologies are the solution to water shortages, security, education, innovation.
This Arab charity is more halal if they gave it to the badouins.
Is this the cnn or bbc talking ?
my friend self-interest is what drives foreign policy, we are lacking in all fields and gulf countries are the best option for funding and investment, comparing Israel to Kuwait is laughable, a country with one the best humanitarian record with one with the war crimes on its belt since 48.
The bedouns – arabic for without- are way better off than Arab 48 'citizens', even if what you are implying is correct, what does that has to do with somaliland, we are not human rights watch, we on a daily basis discriminate against our own citizens – Gaboye-, so what gives you this higher moral ground when you are a tribally based, underdeveloped, unrecognized strip of desert ??
Kayse Have you been to somaliland lately, if you did try walking around with the israeli flag on your car and give us the feedback of that experiment :)
Why do u think Israel is a solution? and want kind of schools does the palistanians go to ? You and many Muslims must understand that the issue of Israel is not Palistanians, Arabs and Israel only. It is an Islamic one which the Israels know that is an issue of religion. Alquds is an Islamic issue.
The last Calipaht Sulatan Abdulhameed was offered plenty of gold to pay for the debts of Othman empire but he said his famous statments "Palistain is a land of Waqf for all muslims, aske me any other land to give it to the Jews but no Palistain".
So, there is nothing we can gain from Israel othet states did no get but curse of Allah.
many pepole need to learn history.
You must be an Israeli puppet go tell that to the Palestinian.
Those Bedouins are from neighboring counties and they do not want go back just like in EU they throw there passport ones in land.
Educate yourself before you write.
Two weeks is little more than that, they know deep inside them all thier plans havd fired back at them. Remamber the Private army company, the SSC issue and know the president of the Pirat land is saying it is effecting Puntland and Somalialnd.
This government and the way they are handeling crisies since the win the election its is in the right track. Somaliwyan supporters have lost sight of their project and now they need to go back and focus if they continue looking at Somalialnd they will be losers.
Just to add to thier sleepless nights visit this site http://www.kipcogp.com this is a company chaired by the son of the Amir of Kuwait who owns the3 Million dollar Palalce in Sheek in Somlialnd. He chairs the company which is 20 Billion Dollar worth of assets only.OF course the presdint met other fund mangers not charity organsiations.
Not only but he also met Sh Mansoor of the UAE who also in charge of UAE funds.
So in simple terms InShaAllah those meetings where very succesful and will trun a new page in the history of SOmalialnd.
Advice for those locals who are trying to destabilize Somalialnd. This is an opportunity for all of us to build a civilise country with a strategic location and for all to share the bounties lets build it together and leave those killing each other behaind us. They will for sure one day put arms.
Kuwait and UAE are both two strong and well modernised countries within the Rich GCC.
Am confident that the highly official delegation of President Ahmed Silaanyo and his top aid
Cabinet ministries headed by the FM DR. Omar will be be successful and forge special
cordial friendly relations not just Kuwait UAE but all the Rich GCC States and the AL as well
opening new diplomatic offices. Equally important is the OIC states and AU/IC at large.
The Recognition issue and SL travelling passport valid for all countries is highly desirable.
Cheers.
we get arab money!!!
As a Somalilander I like to emphasize that this is the first non-african head of state to receive a somaliland president which is great news and great progress for this country.
I like to thank the Kuwaiti government for its reception, and hope that more Arab, Islamic and International heads of state follow suit, that would ultimately lead to our recognition.
Cheers :)
Kuwait must respect Somalias Unity.
no one is gonna respect a unity that is threatening to it's people and the region too.
Faisal, Somaliland will never get the regonization, its a fake dream. Somalia will always be a united country.
Where is Somalia? Who is the leader? Sheikh Sharif? Sheikh Hassan? Yalaxow? Mohamed Dheere? The pirates? Ahlu Sunna? Puntland? Azania? Mareeg state? Hiiraan state? the warlord in Nairobi? or the one in Addis Ababa? Al Shabab?
No one knows such thing any more. Time to move on its not 1970s…its 2011.
What unity? Last time I checked Somalia was a failed state with warring factions of terrorists, clan fiefdoms and criminal pirates. That's not a country, that's a failure.
The same [comment] applies to you: Somaliland is for Somalilanders only, obtuse!
@mohamed Yusuf, what unity are you talking? The reason we accepted the unity with southerners in the first place, was the intention of bringing all Somali speaking people to unite under one umbrala. That didn't happen. When Jabouti saw how Somalilanders were treated and they decided to stand alone as a government. After the Ethiopian war, Afweyne signed off both Somali Kenya and Somali Ethiopia that he would never claim them again, never mind uniting with them. There is no such thing as unity and will never be. I wonder why some people are crying after Somaliland in the name of unity. Campaign for the others if you can and leave Somaliland out of it. It will never happen.
Somalia Wats that
This 2011 it's all about SOMALILAND
Like or not diz our year
Hi folks, this is just a reward for Somalis in general and Somalilanders in particular who staunchly supported kuwait, when saddam Hussein invaded. I know some Somalilanders who rescue some kuwait families and take them to saudia arabia borders, some keep guarding kuwait homes after families escape. Allah (swt) always help those who use their right mind and do justices. What saddam hussein did was aggression and Somalilanders know very well what aggression is all about. Just open afweyne barre book, it all over it.May allah(swt help Somaliland and our poor Somali brothers in the south as he helped our good brothers and sisters in Islam in the gulf with a big buck and peace. Can I say may Allah have mercy on saddam, that boy make a lot of mess! but I appreciate that he made last minute Shahada, that is very big sign in Islam. Thanks Kuwait for the remembrance.
Wonderful news for Somaliland. Kuwait and Somaliland share a link, both survived an attempt to destroy them by a dictator. Didn't Saddam argue Kuwait was the 17th region of Iraq?. Well, both Somaliland and Kuwait have survived and prospered.
For Discussion And Comments
We all know that Somaliland had priorities in past years that resulted the succession in the our country;
First the rehabilitation stages including dismantle the armed Militias after liberation, civil war preventions and security stabilization.
Secondly, institutionalized democracy and constitutional establishments, including two houses, political parties, justices, presidential and local council elections.
Now, thirdly, capacity building, including developmental infrastructures, productive projects, effective administration, transparent accountability and good governance and sustainability of democracy and allover security and dynamic for foreign policy for international sovereignty recognition.
This is not criticism rather advisable suggestions which could be addressed and solved, if any country like Somaliland wanted to achieve the above aforementioned goals, should undertake well designed policies seeking for foreign direct investments/financial and political assistance.
On the other hand, though, according to the official media and many Somaliland commentaries, the two visits to the UAE and Kuwait by President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud with first Arab feet seems successful, I hope more detailed results will follow in the coming days.
But there are sharing common factors of current leader and his processor's presidents which prove that No Strategic or Pre-draw or written Agendas that envisages what they really want from hosting countries. The delegation were comprised the president, first lady, foreign and cabinet chief (Private Secretary) and spokes person. N o technical ministries such planning, finance air-harbor ports, fishery or any investment experts. We saw and read on the media when they presented rough craft request of randomly selected.
1)Although, we know that the president's cabinet were almost carefully selected with ministries of knowledgeable technocrats those mostly lived in foreign countries and specialized their concerned fields in question. They know properly better than this delegation for foreign culture environment and "ARABIC LANGUAGE" could be sever obstacle, so we are in here talking about an opportunity loss at first place, because technical discussion or negotiations on requested or given projects is the key for TRA-relations in future projects.
Brothda saying is easily done. Rome was not built in one day. For the first time the Somaliland is
getting good chances to forge good cordial relationships with the GCC and AL/OIC. Previous Regimes
since 1993 were caged and dubbed as"The AU best kept secret" which meant keep Somaliland chained
shackled and make them monkeys running around with their usual amusing voices. However, Since
the Kulmiye Party came to power the new Somaliland is endeavouring to catch up with how the IC works
including the Arab World. The official trip to UAE and Kuwait is just only the beginning and hopefully
more follow ups to further other undertakings of mutual beneficial interests.In my view
The first official trip to the UAE and Kuwait is all successful and praiseworthy.
Cheers.
Yes you absolutely right for patients and supporting these first initiatives.
How about persistence and preparation, who you think the appropriate personnel, should present and explain to the counter parties technically for such huge projects that Kuwait is willing to assist Somaliland directly in key areas of development which the President already pointed out to the Kuwaiti government.
cheerio!
20 years of visiting country after country and no recognition insight.Somalia will rise again isha allah
Yep!!. I admire your articulation of cyber Journalism and constant valuable contributions Mohamud. But real relevant question was how we translate who are appropriate personnel from Somaliland side, should present/explain to Kuwaiti counter parties technically about such huge projects that could concern in many sectors. As we know this is just a logical analysis and general discussions and nothing else.
Pls keep going
Tks
somaliland is point of no return