– The need for action beyond democratic elections and the quest for recognition.
1) We are standing close to the Commonwealth club where, seven years ago, Captain Zarroug of Al Reem Company, Abu Dhabi, and Enex sponsored the visit of the then Somaliland President Riyale and Foreign Minister Edna Adan to London in their quest for Somaliland's recognition by the British Government.
At that time, as in our last video, we presented the clear view that Somaliland has amply satisfied all the criteria that international law requires for independent statehood.
Now, in this second message, we want to focus on the practical matter of how to establish the most direct, efficient and transparent means for supporting Somaliland's economic development.
2) We ask you to support Somaliland in the creation of the Somaliland Development Corporation.
Let me explain why this is so very important for Somaliland's future prosperity, and what it could achieve
As an unrecognised State, Somaliland is isolated not only because other governments will not deal with it properly and openly. Their legal systems also cannot deal with Somaliland. This means that donors and companies cannot make proper bargains with Government of the State. We know that support in the form of goods, aid or investment is directed to recognised institutions outside Somaliland. Little finds its way to Somaliland, and is sadly minimal and insufficient to meet the needs of your people.
3) How would the Somaliland Development Corporation solve the problem? It would do so because it would exist as a body that would be recognised by everyone. Others could deal directly with the Corporation, without compromising their attitudes to recognition of the State. The Corporation would be visible to foreigners. At the same time it would be transparent to the people of Somaliland, who could observe the direct benefits of its work on their behalf.
As funds flow to the Corporation, it will organise for the necessary work - such as essential infrastructure projects, roads, water supply, electrical power, health clinics and the like - could be competently planned and budgeted with emphasis on use on maximum use of local resources.
4) Let me describe how the Corporation would be established.
The Corporation should be created as a company in a place with a neutral, predicable administrative and legal system, with transparent company law and minimal effective tax rates, welcoming to non-resident business. One of the new international centres of the UAE could be suitable.
The purpose of the Corporation would be to provide Somaliland with a recognised legal entity, capable of dealing with donors, investors and markets. We suggest calling it the “Somaliland Development Corporation”.
As a company, it needs a board of directors, who would decide on the projects to be undertaken and the terms on which grants and investments would be made. The board would appoint the most highly qualified managers of the Corporation's work, which could be organised and run from a convenient location such as London.
5) The board will be answerable to the owners of the Corporation: all the people of Somaliland, represented by trustees commanding the widest non-sectarian respect. They will be the human focal point for attracting funds and overseeing effective direction of the Corporation's affairs to achieve the best results for Somaliland.
The board and the trustees would meet separately, sufficiently often for effective control of the Corporation's work. Details of each meeting would be posted to the Corporation's website so that all stakeholders have direct access to the Corporation's affairs.
6) The Somaliland Development Corporation would be the engine that generates the business plans, the project specifications and budgets that reflect the most urgent basic needs of the country. The directors, acting collectively, would respect and authority by including qualified politicians from the main Somaliland parties and other suitable non-partisan individuals from across the country.
7) Joint Ventures and other commercial business activity by the State can have their shares held by the Somaliland Dev Corporation. Foreign partners and investors will in this way have confidence in knowing that their interests are properly and openly managed without the uncertainties of transient political perceptions or the uncertainty of pending recognition.
8) What this arrangement does is to create a clear means whereby Aid providers, Donors and Investors can work openly with Somaliland. It overcomes the present situation where very little resource finds itself to local real results.
9) Somaliland has identifiable highly urgent needs for development. Such as: Roads, water and sanitation, community health education and governance support, agriculture, micro finance, electrical power supply and much more.
All this can be done through direct transmission of resources to the Trustees and the wholly owned Somaliland Development Corporation, acting for the whole of Somaliland.
We commend this proposal to you all.
