Win for Kulmiye's Ahmed Silanyo, country's National Electoral Commission says
International development organisation Progressio, the Development
Planning Unit at University College London (UCL) and Somaliland Focus
(UK) have welcomed the announcement of provisional results of
Somaliland's presidential election, held on 26 June 2010.
The Somaliland National Electorial Commission's (NEC) findings - which
are not yet final - indicate that Mr Ahmed Silanyo of the Kulmiye
party has won the election, defeating the incumbent, President Dahir
Riyale Kahin of the UDUB party and Mr Faisal Ali Waarabe of the UCID
party.
The three UK based organisations were invited by the NEC in January
2009 to act as coordinators of the international observation mission
for the election in the internationally-unrecognised republic.
The mission congratulates Mr Ahmed Silanyo and the Kulmiye party and
extends its best wishes to President Riyale for his many years of
service to Somaliland, and for the dignity and leadership he has shown
during his years in office. In particular, the mission commends his
statesmanship over the past 24 hours. Congratulations are also due to
Mr Faisal, and indeed to all the candidates, for their adherence to
the democratic process in Somaliland.
Despite the many delays in the run-up to the election, the mission
would like to point out that the days prior to polling day - and
polling day itself - were notable for their spirit of peacefulness and
goodwill. The election observation mission hopes that the same spirit
will prevail in the days leading up to the confirmation of the final
result and beyond. It is hoped, too, that Somaliland's political
leaders, and their supporters, accept the final results, as they have
pledged to do.
The observation mission believes any other course of action would be
detrimental to the welfare of Somaliland's people and the nation's
democratic future. The mission looks forward to being able to pass its
final judgement on the Somaliland 2010 presidential election in its
final election report.
________________________________
Notes to Editors
1. For further information or to arrange an interview with a
member of the coordination team, contact Conrad Heine in Somaliland,
tel +252 2 409 5464 or by email at
conradheine@gmail.com<mailto:conradheine@gmail.com>
2. Somaliland's Presidential elections have been repeatedly
delayed. The poll has previously been scheduled for March/April 2008,
December 2008, March 2009 and September 2009.
3. Somaliland is situated in Somalia's northwest. It declared
unilateral independence from the failed Somali state in 1991 and has
since been a haven of relative peace whilst violence and instability
has characterised Somalia, its capital Mogadishu and more recently the
Gulf of Aden.
4. Progressio's involvement in the mission follows its leadership
of the international monitoring team for Somaliland's inaugural
parliamentary elections in 2005, judged by observers as "basically
free and fair."
5. Progressio is an international charity with Catholic roots
that enables poor communities to solve their own problems through
support from skilled workers. And we lobby decision-makers to change
policies that keep people poor. For further information see:
www.progressio.org.uk<http://www.progressio.org.uk/>
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May Somaliland finally be recognized internationally after this amazing election.
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