Somaliland - The African Mirror

Apr

2021

Why I’m committing $500 million to entrepreneurship in Somaliland

ISMAIL AHMED THE power of remittances, the funds migrants send ‘back home’ to family and friends, is at the centre of my story. It’s also the story of how Somaliland, my homeland - has overcome challenges to forge its own, entrepreneurial path; a path that challenges traditional models of aid, setting an example for other developing countries. Long before I founded WorldRemit in 2010, which is now one of the world’s largest cross-border payments companies, I saw how remittances have the power to change people’s lives. Members of my family – like many others across Somaliland – went to work…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Somaliland cans female football tournament as un-Islamic

NEWS

MOHAMMED OMER SOMALIA’S breakaway region of Somaliland has cancelled its first women's football tournament as it fell foul of Islamic values, sparking outrage among women's rights groups. The Somaliland Women's Football Tournament, featuring six female teams representing Somaliland's six divisions, was expected to begin on Thursday in the capital Hargeisa. But Abdirashid Aidid, director of sports at the ministry of youth and sports, said authorities had opted to can the seven-day event as it was un-Islamic. "We cancelled it because it is not in line with Islamic values and norms," Aidid told a news conference. "After public anger, including from…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Strategic Somaliland touts its oil and gas as opens Taiwan office

BUSINESS

BEN BLANCHARD THE strategically located, self-declared African nation of Somaliland touted potential oil, gas and tourism resources for investment as it opened a de facto embassy in Taiwan on Wednesday, a relationship that has angered China and Somalia. Taiwan signed the agreement on establishing representative offices with Somaliland in February, but did not make it public until July. Situated on the Horn of Africa, Somaliland borders Djibouti, where China maintains its first ever overseas military base. Both China, which claims Taiwan as its own, and Somalia have expressed their opposition to Taiwan and Somaliland's forging of ties. Somaliland declared independence…