The Commonwealth Club, London, Monday 21st November 2011
On 21st Nov 2011 Friends of Somaliland and Founders of the Somaliland Development Corporation (“SDC”) hosted a lunchtime meeting with the President of Somaliland, with the agenda item being a discussion on the Somaliland Development Corporation.
Len Tiahlo, an SDC CO founder sponsored the event. With him was Legal Advisor and co –founder Jeremy Carver CBE, formerly Head of International Law at Clifford Chance and Board Member of Transparency International, Steve Taylor, Director of Crown Agents, who have agreed to provide SDC banking services and Paul Whiteway of Independent Diplomat. Fellow co-founder Ambassador Myles Wickstead CBE was absent on travel but passed on his best wishes with great expectations for the SDC. The Minister of Planning and Development Dr Saad Shire, Mr Eid Ahmed Cardif based management and development consultant, Mr. Osman Mohamed, Contracts Executive with Abu Dhabi Oil Company ADNOC and Secretary to the SDC in the UAE were also absent and conveyed their best wishes for the SDC.
The lunch was held at the Commonwealth Club and was joined by the First Lady of Somaliland Amina-Weris Sheikh Mohamed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Mohamed Omar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamed Rashid Sheikh Hassan, Director of Somaliland Television in Europe Mr. Khadar Ali, Mrs. Lulu Todd and Ahmed Kadleye both from SIRAG.
The SDC Leader for this meeting was SDC Director Jeremy Carver After welcoming the President of Somaliland and his delegates, Jeremy Carver recapped past statements about Somaliland’s self sufficiency, self reliance and outstanding achievements over the last 20 years while receiving minimum assistance from the outside world. Jeremy also stressed the fact that Somaliland has fulfilled all the criteria that a state has and have every right to govern their own affairs. The “you tube” Internet videos referenced in this dispatch cover these issues and also introduced the concept of the SDC as a trustworthy vehicle for economic interaction with the International Community.
President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud (Silanyo) thanked the SDC Founders and Friends of Somaliland from Great Britain who are always there to support Somaliland Government and their people whenever Somaliland is in need.
Further, the Minister of Foreign and International Cooperation Dr Mohamed Abdillahi Omar thanked the Founders of the SDC and associated Friends of Somaliland and stressed the fact that Somaliland needs an initiative like this for Somaliland’s development. Dr Mohamed Rashid Hassan Minister of State of Foreign Affairs and Director of the SDC highlighted the need to strengthen Somaliland's engagement with the outside world and to strengthen the role of the Diaspora in Somaliland's development. Somaliland Diaspora attendees also gave a short speech thanking the SDC Founders and the importance of the SDC especially during this time whilst Somaliland is not formally recognised.
Background Info. of SDC: SDC was established for the benefit of the people of Somaliland where the SDC will be owned and managed for the exclusive benefit of the people of Somaliland with full operational and financial transparency. The following “you tube” video information provides further background on the need for international economic and political recognition.
Go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/somaliland1960 for the following two videos:
Somaliland - Recognition - No Downsides - Congratulations!
Somaliland Development - Jeremy Carver CBE
For further information contact:
Mrs Lulu F Todd, Osman Mohamed or Len Tiahlo
Email: somaliland.devcorporation@gmail.com
