Close to 200 Somali professional, politicians and senior government officials are gathering in Djibouti for the third Annual Forum for Ideas.
Under the theme Human Capital Development, the meeting features panelists from the region and Somalis in diaspora to explore solutions to challenges facing Somalis particularly in Somalia and Somaliland.
Senior Somalia government officials including Education Minister Abdullahi Godah Barre, Finance minister Abdirahman Duale Beyle and Foreign Minister Ahmed Isse Awad among lawmakers and professionals are attending the event which is hosted by Djibouti. President of Somali regional state of Ethiopia Mustafa Mohamed Omer (Cagjar) is also dignitaries attending the conference
As a neutral ground for both Somalia and Somaliland, the forum attracted participants from both sides where they engaged on cross cutting issues including elections and reconciliation.
Among the discussions were electoral processes where the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) and Puntland Electoral Commission shared views on elections in Somalia at Federal and State level.
The event organized by the Mogadishu based Heritage Institute for Policy Studies concludes on Thursday.