EU commends Somaliland's recently concluded elections

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EU commends Somaliland's recently concluded elections

HARGEISA (HORN OBSERVER) - European Union (EU) has welcomed Somaliland's recently concluded parliamentary and local elections.

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HARGEISA (HORN OBSERVER) - European Union (EU) has welcomed Somaliland's recently concluded parliamentary and local elections.

In a statement, the bloc termed the poll the historic election saying the minority groups secured position in the House of Representatives and the large numbers of youth candidates elected.

"International partners congratulate the people of Somaliland, political parties, the National Electoral Commission and other government institutions on the successful conduct of the 2021 parliamentary and local council elections and on electoral security arrangements,” the statement reads in part. "Through these elections, the people of Somaliland have demonstrated a strong commitment to the electoral process, to political participation and to strengthening democracy.”

The 27-member bloc, UK, Norway and Switzerland have expressed regret that Somaliland election has not translated to more women in elected office resulting in decreased women political representation.

"It will be important for all stakeholders to learn from this, and for government, political parties and others to take actions to strengthen women’s political participation well in advance of future elections,” the bloc said.

EU said it looks forward to urgent and concrete steps from the new parliament and the government to ensure a fair representation of women in government and administration.

"We remain committed to continuing our constructive cooperation to further democratisation and the inclusion of women and marginalised groups in Somaliland, and to support regular and timely elections at all levels of government,” the statement noted. "We look forward to strengthening our cooperation with the newly elected local councils and parliament, both on these issues and on other matters of mutual interest.”