Hornpost
Hargeisa (Hornpost) The Vice President of the Republic of Somaliland and Acting President, H.E. Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi, today received at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa a high-level delegation from the Parliament of Sweden, accompanied by senior officials representing political parties that form part of the Swedish governing coalition. The delegation is currently on an official visit to Somaliland.
The Vice President was accompanied during the meeting by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Abdirahman Dahir Adan, and Somaliland’s Representative to Sweden, Hon. Zakariye Hassan Wacays.
Members of the visiting Swedish delegation included Magnus Oscarsson (MP), Mikael Oscarsson (MP), Mathias Bengtsson (MP), Dan Hovskär (MP), Annicki Oscarsson (Party Official), Natalie Oscarsson (Party Official),Katrin Hovskär (Party Official), Mikael Torstensson (Special Envoy of Somaliland to Sweden) and his spouse Elisabeth Torstensson.
The purpose of the Swedish parliamentary delegation’s visit was to gain a deeper understanding of Somaliland’s progress in social development, democratic governance, the ongoing quest for international recognition, peace, good governance, investment potential, and areas of cooperation between Somaliland and Sweden.
The Vice President warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed his appreciation for their visit to Somaliland. He briefed the Swedish MPs on the historical background of Somaliland’s independence, explaining how the people of Somaliland overwhelmingly voted in a national referendum on May 18, 1991, to reclaim their sovereignty after the collapse and devastating consequences of the union with Somalia.
He emphasized that Somaliland has met all the legal and institutional criteria of statehood, deserving full international recognition. The Vice President urged the Government and Parliament of Sweden to play an active role in promoting and supporting Somaliland’s recognition campaign, noting that Somaliland has sustained peace, democracy, and constitutional governance for the past 34 years.
The discussions also focused on:
Investment opportunities in Somaliland, including the expansion of Berbera Port, renewable energy, livestock, agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure development.
Development cooperation in key social sectors such as health, water, and education.
Humanitarian issues, with the Vice President reaffirming Somaliland’s commitment to human rights protection and care for vulnerable communities.
For their part, the Swedish delegation expressed deep interest and understanding of Somaliland’s cause, commending the country for its peace, stability, and democratic system. They pledged to initiate strong advocacy within the Swedish Parliament and to build support for Somaliland’s right to international recognition.
The delegation further promised to encourage the Swedish Government to officially recognize Somaliland and to strengthen bilateral cooperation in development and infrastructure.
In conclusion, the Vice President thanked the delegation for their visit and their support for Somaliland’s aspirations. He reiterated that Somaliland’s quest for recognition is a just and legitimate cause, grounded in fairness and the will of its people. He underlined that Somaliland’s recognition is vital for peace and stability across the Horn of Africa.
Hornpost staff Reporter
