STORY: On Hargeisa visit, UN envoy highlights importance

of building on Somaliland’s achievements

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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI NATS
DATELINE: 28/JULY/2019, HARGEISA, SOMALILAND

SHOT LIST:

1. Aerial shot, landscape in Somaliland

2. Wide shot, James Swan, UN envoy to Somalia reading a document on the plane
3. Close up shot, document
4. Close up shot, James Swan reading a document
5. Med shot, James Swan reading a document
6. Med shot, plane landing
7. Wide shot, Adel airport in Hargeisa
8. Med shot, James Swan getting off the plane
9. Wide shot, James Swan and his delegation walking
10. Med shot, James Swan and his delegation walking
11. Med shot, a drive through downtown Hargeisa
12. Wide shot, James Swan and his delegation arrive at the presidential palace
13. Close up shot, Somaliland flag
14. Med shot, James Swan walking to meet with Somaliland’s President Musa Bihi
Abdi
15. Med shot, James Swan and Musa Bihi Abdi, Somaliland’s President shaking hands
16. Wide shot, Musa Bihi Abdi, Somaliland’s President shaking hands with other UN
officials
17. Med shot, James Swan and Musa Bihi Abdi, Somaliland’s President talking
18. Wide shot, James Swan and Somaliland’s Minister of Finance, Sa’ad Ali Shire,
prepare to address the media after the meeting with Musa Bihi Abdi, Somaliland’s
President
19. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, UN Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Somalia
“Critical to that is finding ways of resolving differences peacefully and constructively,
and maintaining open channels of communication.”
20. Wide shot, the media covering
21. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, UN Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Somalia
“We also discussed the importance of completing the necessary preparatory work to
proceed to credible parliamentary and local elections very soon and in this context, I
am very pleased to have noted the agreement reached among political parties just
yesterday to move forward in preparing for elections on an early timeline.”

22. Close up shot, Sa’ad Ali Shire, Somaliland’s Minister of Finance preparing to
speak at the media briefing
23. Med shot, Sa’ad Ali Shire, Somaliland’s Minister of Finance and UN envoy James
Swan
24. SOUNDBITE: (Somali) Sa’ad Ali Shire, Somaliland’s Minister of Finance
“The president warmly welcomed the delegation and they discussed wide range of
issues including forging closer cooperation. The discussions also focused on how to
further scale the various development agendas the UN conducts in the region. A
common understanding on how to strengthen relationship and cooperation took
centre stage during the discussions.”

25. Close up shot, James Swan

26. Tracking shot, James Swan and his delegation driving to the Refugee and Asylum
Seekers Livelihood Project site
27. Med shot, James Swan and his delegation driving to the Refugee and Asylum
Seekers Livelihood Project site
28. Close up shot, asylum seekers livelihood project sign post
29. Wide shot, James Swan tours the centre
30. Med shot, James Swan talking to one of the facilitators
31. Close up shot, a trainee working on electrical installations
32. Med shot, a trainee working on electrical installations
33. Wide shot, female trainee working on sewing machines
34. Close up shot, a female trainee sewing
35. Med shot, James Swan looking at some of the clothing
36. Close up shot, James Swan looking at some of the clothing
37. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, UN Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Somalia
“It was inspirational to see the practical training being provided to equip refugees
and asylum-seekers to support themselves and their families, and also to contribute
to the host economy and the community here in Somaliland.”
38. Wide shot, Somaliland Civil Service Commission building
39. Med shot, James Swan welcomed by administrators of Somaliland Civil Service
Commission
40. Med shot, James Swan meeting with administrators of Somaliland Civil Service
Commission
41. Close up shot, administrators of Somaliland Civil Service Commission
42. Wide shot, James Swan in a meeting with administrators of Somaliland Civil
Service Commission
43. Close up shot, James Swan listening
44. Med shot, UN officials at the meeting
45. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Swan, UN Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Somalia
“It was interesting to meet public officials working to overcome the challenges of
developing local government which is both accountable and responsive to those
using local services.”

46. Wide shot, James Swan meeting with local women leaders
47. Med shot, James Swan at the meeting
48. Med shot, James Swan meeting with local women leaders
49. Wide shot, James Swan meeting with local women leaders

On Hargeisa visit, UN envoy highlights importance of building on Somaliland’s

achievements

Hargeisa, 28 July 2019 – In meetings with Somaliland’s leadership today, the United
Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative highlighted the importance of
building on Somaliland’s achievements as well as preparing for upcoming elections
there.

“Critical to that is finding ways of resolving differences peacefully and constructively,

and maintaining open channels of communication,” the UN envoy, James Swan, told
the media after meeting with Somaliland’s President Musa Bihi Abdi and his
ministers in the capital.

“We also discussed the importance of completing the necessary preparatory work to
proceed to credible parliamentary and local elections very soon,” he added. “In that
context, I was pleased to learn of the agreement reached yesterday among political
parties that we hope will lead to these elections on an early timeline.”
Addressing the same media encounter, Somaliland’s Minister of Finance, Sa’ad Ali
Shire, said a wide range of issues had been discussed, including forging closer
cooperation and how to further scale up the UN’s local development activities.

“A common understanding on how to strengthen the relationship and cooperation

took centre stage during the discussions,” the Somaliland official said.

The two-day visit to Hargeisa was the UN envoy’s first since assuming his post in late
June. Aside from meeting with the local leadership, he was also there to help
strengthen UN collaboration regarding humanitarian activities, economic
development and capacity-building for local governance and service delivery.

Mr. Swan was accompanied by senior officials from the world body’s UN
Development Programme (UNDP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

UN-backed projects

While in Hargeisa, the UN envoy saw first-hand some of the work being carried out
locally by the world body to help address humanitarian needs and longer-term
development goals.

This included visiting on Saturday a livelihood projects backed by UNHCR, in which

participants were taught skills in areas such as electrical work and clothes-making.

“It was inspirational to see the practical training being provided to equip refugees
and asylum-seekers to support themselves and their families, and also to contribute
to the host economy,” Mr. Swan said about the visit.

He also met on Saturday with the administrators of Somaliland’s Civil Service

Institute – which is supported by the Ministry of Interior and UNDP – and was taken
on a tour of the Institute’s premises.

“It was interesting to meet public officials working to overcome the challenges of
developing local government which is both accountable and responsive to those
using local services,” the UN Special Representative said.

In his various encounters, Mr. Swan reiterated the world body’s commitment to
supporting Somaliland, including in his meeting with local women leaders on
Saturday. In that gathering, he heard first-hand about the progress and challenges
faced by women locally.
*****