Somaliland will hold parliamentary and district council elections on 31 May 2021. These elections are especially significant for Somalilanders. Although the country has held three direct presidential election since 2003, the latest being in 2017, this year’s parliamentary election will be the first since 2005, having been successively postponed for sixteen years. It thus represents an important opportunity for the country to further entrench the democratic progress that has so far been realized.
On 27 April 2021, the Rift Valley Forum in partnership with Heinrich Boll Foundation and The Elephant will host a panel of experts and young activists to discuss these crucial elections. The Forum will delve into the country’s democratic journey since its separation from Somalia in 1991 and to examine the political representation of women, youth and minorities in elections. It will also discuss the role of international elections observation missions and the media in ensuring the credibility of the process.
Details
Date: 4 May 2021
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm (EAT)
Moderator
Rasna Warah
Writer/Researcher
Panelists
Ayan Yusuf
Project Lead, IPCS, University of Hargeysa
Dr. Jama Musse Jama
Director, Hargeysa Cultural Center
Khadar Mariano
Youth Activist & Founder of Cognitio Consulting Group
Mohamed Mahmoud Barawaani
Executive Director, SONSAF
