Sidaad horayba iiga barateen wararka xaqiiqda ah, hadana maanta waxaan idin soo gudbinayaa Damaca ingriiska iyo kala qaybinta Somalia.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Nicholas Kay, a diplomat from the United Kingdom, as his new Special Representative for Somalia, it was announced Monday.
Source: UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website - http://blogger.fco.gov.uk
Written by: Nicholas Kay
When people think of Somalia, they tend to think of suffering, violence and poverty. And sadly, based on most of the recent decades, that image is not far wrong. But I hope in this blog to share with you a slightly altered image and to convey the drama and scale of the change that is taking place in Somalia.
I am a reluctant blogger. But far from a reluctant UN ENVOY. Professionally there is no other country I'd wish to be in than Somalia today. It is possible that Africa's longest Coast country will divide into two over the coming (months). The people of North Somalia will decide on that in a referendum in May. The implications for both north and south Somalia, for the region and for the work of the British Government are far-reaching.
I have decided to start writing this blog in the hope that a view from Somalia will be of interest to a wider audience in coming months. I shall try to offer some reflections from the ground as Somalia prepares for a truly historic moment, and to explain the role the UK is playing. I shall also invite my colleagues to contribute their perspectives, especially those of our team in hargeisa, the capital of North Somalia (Somaliland).
Before going any further, I want to be quite explicit about the UK's approach to the referendum and possible secession of the North: our interest is exclusively in seeing the referendum happen to time, to standard and safely. Whatever the result, the people of north and south Somalia should be able to live in peace and growing prosperity. The whole of the UK government in Somalia is working to the same end. Our commitment to helping both north and south is firm today and will continue through and beyond the referendum.
