Highlights of Puntland-Kuwait Conference

[Monk-of-Mogadishu]

A new era in Somalia's progression is opening.

The president of Somalia's Puntland government has met with Kuwait's emir, while defending the establishment of an anti-piracy force, which is currently undergoing military training in Puntland State of northern Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Farole was interviewed Thursday by the BBC Somali Service from Kuwait City, where the president's delegation has been over the past week. The Puntland delegation includes: Interior Minister Gen. Abdullahi Jama Ilkajir; Petroleum Director Mr. Isse Dhollowaa; and Social Welfare Agency director, Mr. Abdishakur Mohamud Gurey

President Farole expressed his gratitude to the "fantastic welcome" the Puntland government delegation received in Kuwait.

"We wish to thank the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who welcomed us and pledged to provide tangible development assistance to Puntland," President Farole told the BBC interviewer.

The president declined to mention pledge specifics, but he underlined that Puntland's government advanced a list of priority projects, including completion of two airports in Puntland, "as stipulated in the Istanbul Declaration," the president added.

In May, the government of Turkey and the United Nations jointly hosted a conference on Somalia, where the final declaration called upon the world community to assist the completion of airports in the Puntland cities of Garowe and Bossaso.

Furthermore, President Farole said the priority projects forwarded to the Kuwaiti government includes the construction of a factory in Las Qoray, a coastal town in Puntland's Sanaag region.

"Puntland specifically has many needs that the rest of Somalia does not have, especially in infrastructure. We requested tangible development projects and we are confident of Kuwait's commitment to assist Puntland," President Farole said.

He indicated that the Puntland government's visit to Kuwait was preceded by a trip in February when a Kuwaiti charity group visited Puntland. He also said the delegation met with business interests and humanitarian aid groups based in Kuwait.

Puntland's leader said that the government of Puntland "will not seek approval" from anyone when it comes to security matters.

"For nearly two years, we have requested the international community to help us establish anti-piracy troops and to construct monitoring stations along Puntland's coast to fight pirates…but we received no answer," the president said.

He indicated that there are "questions" about Puntland's agreement with Saracen International, a South Africa-based maritime security company that inked a deal to train anti-piracy troops in Puntland last month.

"What is important is that Puntland improves its security. Without sufficient security, there can be no investment because investment depends on security and stability," Puntland's leader said.

He noted that the anti-piracy troops, which are to number 1,050 soldiers when training completes, will still need equipment and telecommunications gear in order to commence the fight against Somali pirates who threaten the world's shipping lanes.

President Farole said that only African Union peacekeepers (AMISOM) are allowed to bring weapons to Somalia under U.N. regulations, adding: "We will continue to seek equipment and other support for our anti-piracy troops when training completes."

He indicated that the Puntland-Saracen agreement is "in the spirit of the Istanbul Declaration, which encourages public-private partnerships" for Somalia.

President Farole appealed to all Somali clans to "work for peace," while sending a specific message to Mudug region, where there is clan violence risk between Puntland clans and non-Puntland clans.

"The people [of Mudug] live together and their livestock graze together. We call upon Gal-mudug administration to control their side and we promise that no trouble will come from Puntland side," President Farole concluded.

Source

The future looks daaaaaamn good.

[union]

A future of being perpetually on ones knees, appealing to this government or that. A culture of dependence on outside help. Looks damn shameful to me. But that's just my opinion.

[Monk-of-Mogadishu]

And yet you find no shame in your hero Hiiraale appealing to Ethiopia to help himself return to power in a loose set of villages but support it. At least this "begging" is improving peoples' lives. You are the last person to preach.

[union]

I don't think I've ever commented on Hiiraale or his affairs. You must be mistaking me for someone else. And I'm not denying that this will help people out, nor am I signaling out Puntland in particular, just saying it's a damn shame that Somalia as a whole has developed a culture of dependence on foreign help.

[Monk-of-Mogadishu]

When you have squatters shitting on the capital and all of the country's available resources, Puntland's only resort is to go the extra mile to try and dig out some oil so it doesn't have to beg anymore. Begging is a condition of poverty, and in a field of grass, everything is covered in a salt called "Koonfuria" as our qaldaan cousins like to call, and because of some savages we don't have access to neither our capital nor our breadbasket. Can you produce food in the desert with no tools?

[union]

That may be so, but you don't have to proclaim this "begging" expedition as if it were a momentous achievement. It may be a necessary step to continually ask the international community to provide for all of Somalia's needs, as the country is hopelessly beyond repair, but it's not something to be proud of. You don't see people walking around telling all the world they've met their social worker at the Welfare office, and neither should this "meeting" (which is basically the same thing) be something to show off about.

[Goljano Lion]

That may be so, but you don't have to proclaim this "begging" expedition as it were a momentous achievement. It may be a necessary step to continually ask the international community to provide for all of Somalia's needs, as the country is hopelessly beyond repair, but it's not something to be proud about. You don't see people walking around telling all the world they've met their social worker at the Welfare office, and neither should this "meeting" (which is basically the same thing) be something to show off about.

Don’t you know Somali beggars can be proud choosers too?

[HalfDzed]

This culture of depending on foreign aid and countries is nothing new though. Even when we had a functioning government, we were still reliant on foreign governments and agencies. Most of our infrastructure were built either by foreigners or with money from foreign governments. Even our biggest mosque right across from Guriga Ummada was built by Kuwait as a charitable gesture. The Faanoole project which was one of the largest under-takings in Somalia's history was managed by the Chinese. The stadium and theater were also both built and financed by them. The road connecting Muqdisho to Baraawe was being expanded by an Italian aid agency right before the war. I remember passing their heavy duty equipment on the way from Marka to Muqdisho a few times. It was mostly Iveco and Fiat equipment. Somalia and Somalis without aid is not possible.

Aid groups like GTZ, FAO, UNICEF, etc were all active in the country.

[Monk-of-Mogadishu]

^ True, most people don't know it. Even WFP was very active in the country, more so pre-war than post-war, aid agencies thrive in secure but still-poor countries.

Anyway, for the topic, Kuwaiti brothers investing in Puntland (read the f-king article, illiterates) through commerce is a breakthrough indeed, and the development projects are noteworthy, it is something to be proud of that a state that hardly existed a few years ago is now dealing with the world positively. Union, go find an Al-Shabaab article to jerk off to, you always get antsy around topics on progress. The topic wasn't even too concerned about aid to Puntland in particular but to Kuwait's ongoing involvement in the region.

[FBISOMALIA]

good working but we need to improve our security more too

[Monk-of-Mogadishu]

good working but we need to improve our security more too

Kuwait gave $10 million so far to train the newest unit of Puntland troops, that's 30% of Djibout's military expenditure!

[FBISOMALIA]

good working but we need to improve our security more too

Kuwait gave $10 million so far to train the newest unit of Puntland troops, that's 30% of Djibout's military expenditure!

thats for the navy troops but what about the police power sxb ...we need to imporve the saftey in our homes too sxb

[Oxidant]

This is great news, people are jealous of Puntland’s progress,

A stronger Puntland means a stronger Somalia

This military expenditure is great, it will help secure Puntland borders and help reclaim stolen land by those secessionist clowns, Its only a matter of time,

[S-D-M]

Puntland weey dabalatay.

[FBISOMALIA]

Puntland weey dabalatay.

to the moon sxb