Somaliland: Civil Registration to Start Next Month
Hargeisa, 25 Jan 2014 (SDN) –Somaliland’s Minister of Interior has announced the implementation of national civic registration in the country within 6 months without getting financial help from international donors.
Ali Mohamed Waran-Ade, Interior Minister while speaking to the media has given the detail of issues pertaining to Citizenship cards, voter registration cards, and the importance and advantage of providing Identity cards for the Somaliland citizens as well as government’s role in establishing civic registration cards.
He said, “establishing national civic registration is one of the main responsibilities of Somaliland government particularly ministry of interior and other affiliated branches of the government under the ministry of the interior, so we have decided to initially enforce the civic registration act on 1st February of 2014, and then to finalize making of national identity cards within 6 months.”
He said this after the minister Waranb-Ade had a meeting with the mayors and governors in the country. Mr. Waran-Ade added that government will finance the implementation of this project without getting foreign assistance and said, “Government will fully fund the realization of making civic registration for Somaliland citizens. Citizens during registration period will pay $ 2 voluntarily. Currently we have no pledge from any donor institution to cooperate, but we are ready and highly welcoming to anyone who is interesting in cooperating us with the implementation of this project.
“The tender of all the equipment of the registration will be announced on 15 February and the company that became qualified for the registration work will rapidly start the registration task.” The minister has urged Somaliland National Electoral Commission to cooperate the ministry with voter registration work simultaneously and follow the same process. “Somaliland didn’t succeed to provide Identity Cards for citizens in the country for more than 22 years. Civic registration will make us different from the other Somalis in the region. It will also take part the recognition finding efforts and will affirm that we are different from the rest of Somalia.”
“I am urging the people of Somaliland to fully partake the civic registration. People who didn’t take citizenship ID Cards will not get their constitutional rights and will have sufferings in traveling in and outside the country. They won’t be allowed to enter cities and towns in the country. People will be checked and made sure if they have Citizenship Identity Cards in every check point of the country. “Waran-Ade concluded.
SDN Hargeisa