Here is a joint press statement issued by The International partners supporting on Somaliland’s political parties Agreement to conduct Local Council and Parliamentary Elections in 2020
The International Partners (listed below) supporting Somaliland’s democratization process welcome the Somaliland Political Parties agreement, signed on 12th July 2020, to conduct Local Council and Parliamentary Elections in 2020.
This landmark agreement presents new opportunities to advance preparations for the elections and requires the NEC to present technical time schedule within 14 days starting from 12th July 2020.
Having all Somalilanders being part of the process, notably the large majority of young women and men who have never voted for their representatives or had the opportunity to be elected, is of utmost importance for the democratic credentials and the stability of Somaliland.
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The international partners call for all stakeholders to ensure that women, youth and minority groups are being included, both as voters and candidates and call on the President, Political Parties, Parliament, the NEC and the Supreme Court to include women and minorities quota in their decisions.
The international community strongly commends Somaliland’s progress towards the elections and are ready to support the Somaliland’s electoral process, including safeguarding the women and the minorities quota.
* Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Djibouti, Ethiopia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and United Nations. End
Political parties agreement
On Sunday, July 12, 2020, the three national political parties of Somaliland signed an election timeline that the Local Council and the Parlaimantarry elections will not go beyond 2020.
All three parties hoped that the newly elected electoral commissioners and their technical supporters find a smooth sail in conducting the oft-postponed elections.
The President of the Republic of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, who still holds on to the Chairmanship of the ruling party, Kulmiye, signed for his party while Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ‘Irro’, signed for the party he chairs, Waddani, and Engineer Faisal Ali Warabe for UCID.
The parties gave NEC full support to dispense their duties without fear of further choke issues and interferences as was the case on previous, similarly concluded occasions.
Article 6 (1) of the agreement specifically stipulates that this particular act will be used to elect the incoming MPs. This stipulation allows for the parliamentary election to take place on time as it pushes the contentious parliamentary seats allocation to a date later than the currently slated elections.
This accord replaced all earlier agreements on matters relating to the elections that the principals signed before the last of which was on 27 February 2020
