By Goth Mohamed Goth
The Somaliland National Electoral Commission (SNEC) on Wednesday held a series of meetings with a visiting delegation from the International Community and the United Nations.
International delegations from the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, the European Union and the United Nations met with the Electoral Commission at their headquarters in Hargeisa, and the two sides focused on the upcoming House of Representatives and local council elections due to be held in the country in May, in light of the progress made by the Electoral Commission on Voter Registration and the participation of women, youth and minorities in the upcoming elections, which is expected to be balanced and inclusive process. .
According to a statement issued by the Electoral Commission at the conference, the donor delegation discussed a number of key issues, including closer co-operation between the Electoral Commission and the international community, including Countries and international organizations that support Somaliland, agreeing on the issues discussed at the meeting.
“This meeting was a significant step forward in the partnership between Somaliland and the international community on the electoral process and democracy,” the Electoral Commission said in a statement.
The Somaliland government has previously promised to fund the elections to the House of Representatives and local councils, and the nation has agreed to secure the support of international donors who have been embroiled in political turmoil in recent months in neighboring Somalia, a country they have not been able to stabilize its domestic politics which they have long pursued.
On the other hand, the delegation held separate meetings on Tuesday with the leadership of the Somaliland National political organizations, civil society’s organizations and other stakeholders in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) met with representatives of the official three national parties in their office yesterday to discuss the political parties application of the rules and procedures for the selection of its candidates, a step required by the Electoral Law Act Lr. 91/2020.
Lawyers for the National Electoral Commission, explained to the parties the procedure set out in the Act, and provided details on the enactment and compliance of Law Lr. 91/2020 on the Procedures and Regulations for the Selection of Candidates submitted by the Parties to the National Electoral Commission.
The commission’s lawyers said they were ready to support the national parties with any technicalities on how to complete their Candidate Forms to be complete and fully compliant with Act Lr. 91/2020.
