Somaliland President Musa Bihi Abdi says addressing the Las Anod crisis Sool region and the holding of the presidential and political parties elections are the key priorities this year.
Speaking at the launch of the Third National Development Plan he expressed his dissapointment over the crisis in Las Anod.
“The first priority is to solve the problem of Las Anod. As a government we had tried our best and restrained ourselves to the hilt as we held ceasefire in self-control but the issue is still gaping”.
He said the political and instability issue in las Anod was a question incumbent upon the nation of Somaliland to address and that it is within the country and its people to solve it in an amicable manner.
“This issue of Las Anod is incumbent upon Somalilanders to solve, its people are citizens of the nation and they need to be consulted at a round table”, said the president as he welcomed dialogue as means to address the matter.
He added, “As a government we are committed to sitting down together and solve the issue soberly just as it was amicably done in a similar scenario happening in the past”.
Whereas the president welcomed concerted efforts to blend on the efforts he warned against interference to disrupt security. He said, “We will cooperate with those who are honest and have our well-being at heart and work with us towards peace, whether it is a government or an organization”.
“But it is not right and we do not agree with those from Somalia, Puntland who indulge in tribal inclinations to worsen the situation”, he noted.
He welcomed the efforts of the Ethiopian government to and said that doors are open for the intellectuals to blend in, but should be homegrown.
He asserted that the nation’s traditional leaders will be his representatives in the expected dialogues and are ready to meet their colleagues, the Garaads. He reiterated the need of addressing the issue peacefully saying that the state is fully committed to it.
On the other hand, the President said that it is imperative that the electioneering process must go on and the elections has to be held.
Saying that it was the duty and task of the National Elections Commission to schedule and implement the exercises, president said that it should be prioritized and must go on as planned.
“Our other key plan is to hold elections, and if the country does not hold an election, it would be detrimental to our stature”, he said.
The president clearly stated that the legal tenure of the three official national parties is over, and the emerging organizations need to enter the competition to become parties.
“We need to urgently ask the electoral commission to make a plan and time for the existing political parties and organizations to enter the elections together such that three national parties emerge”, he said.
