James Swan calls Somaliland to hold elections in 2020

The United Nations (UN) has called the stakeholders of the Republic of Somaliland to hold overdue elections in 2020.

Addressing the Security Council on the situation of Somalia, United Nations envoy to Somalia, James Swan, said elections must be held in “Somaliland” where parliamentary elections were last held in 2005.

Mr. Swan urged the authorities and all political actors to find a way through the current impasse for both parliamentary and local elections to take place in “Somaliland” before the end of 2020.

Somaliland authorities have severally postponed its parliamentary elections despite protests by the opposition political parties.

The United Nations, European Union, and other international partners have exerted great efforts to break the deadlock between political sides in Somaliland to hold an election.

The House of Representatives’ term ended in 2010 and the local council’s term also ended in 2017. And for the last two years, the political parties disagreed to form an impartial Electoral Commission.