WASHINGTON (SD) – The President of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, today delivered a speech at George Washington University addressing a wide range of issues related to international relations between Somaliland and the international community and ongoing development efforts.

The President noted in his speech that Somaliland is a strategic location in the Horn of Africa region and the Gulf of Aden.

President Bihi said that the former Somalia government bombed the Northern Regions with aircraft purchased from the public tax, destroying towns. He added that the reconstruction of the country had taken 33 years and has shown itself to be self-sufficient in the absence of recognition.

He said Somaliland has offices in 28 countries around the world, with offices in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan, and noted that Somaliland’s main goal is to gain international recognition.

The president said that elections and democracy pose a serious challenges for Somaliland, saying in every year there is an election held.

The statement comes at a time when the president is challenging the presidential election slated for November of this year. The opposition parties call the move illegal and anti constitutional.

The President was accompanied by the Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Information, Awareness and Culture, Environment and Climate Change, the President’s Adviser on Economic Affairs and Dr. Jama Musse Jama.