Medeshi Oct 6 ,2008Somali Week Festival 2008
Tuesday 14th October
14:00-18:00
Half-day conference on promoting partnership between Somaliland Diaspora
organisations, UK development organisations and their counterparts in
Somaliland
Oxford House in Bethnal Green, in partnership with Somaliland Diaspora
organisations, including Somaliland Societies in Europe (SSE), Somaliland Umbrella
Group (SUG), Somaliland International Recognition Action Group (SIRAG),
Somaliland Focus (UK) and Somaliland West London, is organising a half-day
conference on Tuesday 14th October 2008 from 2pm
We are inviting you to attend this important conference with the theme: promoting
partnership between Somaliland Diaspora organisations, their local
counterpart organisations and other international NGOs.
The primary objective of the conference is to discuss the roles and contributions that
can be played by both Somaliland and Diaspora organisations in the human and
economic development of Somaliland, and ways in which the necessary networks
can be improved to support those activities. The conference will also consider
specific experience in Somaliland with a view to informing discussion on future
initiatives.
We believe that the debates and discussions held during the meeting will help to
contribute to the improvement of communications networks amongst Somaliland
organisations in the UK and back home, as well as with international counterpart
organisations.
Conference Programme
14:00-15:00 Registration and Refreshments
15:00-15:05 Welcome from Chair of SSE
15:05-15:15 Introduction by Michael Walls, Chair of Somaliland Focus
15:15-15:30 Local NGOs and their contribution to Somaliland development; Omar
Sheikh, Director of Havoyoco (Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth
Committee)
15:30-15:45 The integration, effects, and situation of Somali refuges from
Mogadishu in Somaliland by Anna Lindley, University of Oxford
15:45-16:05 Local NGOs and their contribution to peace, democratisation
processes and latest update on Somaliland election and voter
2
registration by Boobe Yusuf Duale, Programme Coordinator, Academy
for Peace and Development, Somaliland
16:05-16:20 Somaliland Diaspora organisations and their contribution to
Somaliland development by Dr Saad Ali Shire, Burco University
16:20-16:40 Building partnerships between Diaspora and local NGOs and bilateral
donors by Jonathan Hargreaves/Cindy Berman, DFID
16:40-17:00 Discussion
17:00-17:20 Tea/Coffee Break/Networking
17:20-17:40 Dialogue, collaboration, learning and information exchange between
local and Diaspora NGOs and international organisations and
Diaspora organisations; improving our ability to work together by Dr
Michael Brophy, Director, Africa Educational Trust
17:40-18:00 Sum up and close of conference.
