Our patience is running out, International Community warns Somaliland over poll delay

Somaliland risks loss of investment and international donor support should it fail to review its electoral delays, the international community has warned.

In a joint statement Thursday, the partners which include the US, EU and other western countries cautioned the break-away region will have to shoulder any costs accruing out of the delay and that its government’s credibility was at stake.

“As donors, we have been clear on extensions of mandate and delay of elections, as well as their implications. The Somaliland Government’s credibility is at stake and significant investments are being lost. Regrettably, as previously stated, donors will not cover the costs that these delays will incur,” the statement read in part.

The warning follows last week’s decision by Somaliland’s Guurti (Senate) to push the presidential poll to November 13 and Parliamentary one to April 28, 2019. The government had announcement January the presidential poll would be delayed for nine months setting it for October 10. The election was initially slated for March 28 this year.

The partners castigated the Senate’s decision noting there was ‘no justification or a plan for addressing the obstacles to holding the long-delayed parliamentary polls’.

“These delays undermine democratic progress in Somaliland and have caused serious concern among international partners about the government’s credibility and respect for democratic norms,” the partners said.

The partners issued a similar warning in January 27, when Somaliland announced the new October 10 date calling on the region ‘to prepare for the presidential elections to take place in the first half of 2017 and conduct the local elections on time in 2017’.

The call now seems to have fallen on deaf ears and instead of even sticking with the October 10 deal, the Senate added one more month and sent the parliament on a 14 year election free ride.