Below is an article published by Somaliland Press;

An international conference on assessing Somaliland’s security in which UN has a key role opens today [4 December 2011] at Ambassador Hotel Hargeisa. The conference is expected to last for two days and is being attended by Somaliland government officials, country’s security agencies, Somaliland’s armed forces, members of Somaliland parliament, representatives of Somaliland civil society organizations and officials from United Nations, representatives from IGAD and Ethiopian special representative office to Somaliland.

The conference’s agenda is to discuss and debate Somaliland’s security and how it can be developed to fight today’s insecurity times that the Horn of Africa is facing. Somaliland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Mohamed Abdilahi Omar opened the conference as he enlightens the attendees on the country’s current security stats. Dr. Mohamed Abdilahi Omar said, “this conference is on evaluating and enabling the security agencies of Somaliland be it sea, land and air in combating against extremist and pirate groups. Mr. Omar acknowledged that currently there are insecurity problems facing the Horn of Africa from pirates and terrorist organizations that need to be combated in the region of the Horn of Africa. The fact that Somaliland is a democratic nation these uncertainties in the region pose a real threat to the existence of it.

Speaking on this issue, he said, “Somaliland is democratic nation where there is peace. Therefore, it is one of the countries in the region which these problems pose real threat to its existence. Therefore, Somaliland should cooperate with the international community, regional countries and the United Nations in a bid to reinforce country’s security agencies.”

The Minister lauded the role that UN played this conference on measuring Somaliland security progress.
UN special envoy to Somalia Mr. Augustine Mahiga who was supposed to attend the conference and was expected to make key note speech did not attend due to delays. Jonathan Sandy who is the security sector development director for UNPOS spoke on behalf of Mr. Augustine Mahiga.
He told that UN is contented about the conference on Somaliland security. Other attended dignitaries delivered remarkable speeches at the conference. They all pointed out that the importance of the conference for Somaliland and hailed it.

After the conference , Somalilandpress reporter who was at the conference caught up with Somaliland foreign affairs minister and he asked the kind of assistance that Somaliland is expecting to get from the international community? The Minister said in response it is known that the insecurity in the region is apparent and pose real problem to Somaliland and its neighbors, this assessment will help find any gaps that the countries security sector is lacking.