Is the Somali regional government's Attempt To Reach Out to Diaspora Community Genuine or Just Public Relation?

01/02/00
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Op-Ed by Habib Ali Matan.

The Somali regional State with the blessing of the federal government of Ethiopia has been trying to reach out to the large Somali Ethiopian Diaspora community in Europe and North America but without clarity. Ethiopia as a whole has tapped into the potential of the Diaspora community and with a measurable success. The Tigray, Afar, Amhara and Oromia States have reaped the benefits of the Diaspora community. Diaspora communities from these regional states have contributed immensely in the local economies of these states in their investment in both micro- and macro businesses start-ups, real state development and recall of highly skilled individuals and professionals with sought after skills and specialty. However, the Somali regional States attempt to tap into the potential of the Diaspora community lacks clarity, and appears purely political.

Genuine or Political.

It appears on the surface, the SRG main goal in reaching out to the Diaspora community isn’t genuine and is being done to dilute the perceived support, the Ogaden National Liberation Front gets from the Diaspora community. Going with the lack of clear policy, or given the lack of strength of the current policy, both governments efforts to reach out to the Diaspora communities appears to stem out from their desire to win the hearts and minds of ONLF supporters and sympathizers rather than from their realization of the potential and value of the Diaspora community to the country and the Somali regional State. If both levels of government genuinely want to tap to the potential economic and political contribution of the Diaspora community to the region and country, then, they have done a poor job of defining the role of the Diaspora in the country and region. Both levels of government have not defined clearly the type and size of investment they are encouraging and in what sectors of the economy, the skill levels they are looking for and whether highly skilled individuals with advanced education and experience will be allowed to participate fully in the region’s affairs. Without clear definition of the role of the Diaspora and without clarity of the skills and education level the Somali regional government is looking for and without a better marketing, the highly skilled, and individuals with advanced degrees, whose return are highly desirable and should be the focus of the regional government, will not bother considering a return to the region or the country. Instead, the half hearted measures taken by the regional government will attract the return of uneducated, unskilled men and women of the Diaspora who are on welfare in their host countries and who will not bring any meaningful contribution to the region or the country. In fact, the Somali regional government’s efforts will attract the corrupt individuals in the Diaspora whose only goal will be to make a quick looting of the region’s coffins and who will make a quick exit back to their host countries with their lootings as it happened so many times before.

The Importance of Clarity from The Somali Regional State .

Let’s be honest with ourselves. The majority of the Diaspora communities are either day laborers with few skills and with no money for meaningful investment, and are in fact,on welfare in their host states and a great many of them illegally milk the welfare system of their countries. On top of that, there are a large number in the Diaspora who are engaged in corruption and systematically loot the tax payers of the host nations through dupious schemes. The majority will have very little to contribute to the region and will not have the skill nor the advanced education desirable to the Somali regional State or the Country. Secondly, the Somali regional State had a bad experience with the Diaspora community so far. Many in the Diaspora who have been given investment opportunities have abused it. Both federal and regional governments have given away vast areas of land and money to supposed Diaspora investors who promised to invest their part of capital investment to build business and factories only to sell the vast lands given for huge profits. The Somali regional government has also given away large pieces of land for business start-ups and real estate developments to individuals from the Diaspora who failed to develop the land given or use the land for the specific reason issued to them. The region has also experimental giving senior positions and cabinet level positions to individuals from the Diaspora who didn’t have the skill level or the advanced degrees desirable with predictable failure. Most of these individuals from the Diaspora were Taxi drivers in their host countries who had nothing to offer.

I’m not trashing the Diaspora community nor against the government’s effort to reach out and tap to the potential of the Diaspora community but I’m against a government’s effort and plan that appears done purely political. There is a large number of highly educated, highly skilled individuals in the Diaspora and it’s these individuals that will make a difference in the region and will contribute immensely if they are recalled and their skill sub-sets are tapped. Both the Somali regional State and the federal government should be doing every thing in their power to convince the highly skilled professionals and individuals with wealth of management and experience, to return to the region. Both levels of Governments should do every thing in their power to reassure these individuals they will have the freedom to exercise their skills. The regional Somali State have set up an investment office but this office should be changed to a full Bureau with the responsibility to clearly define the rules of investment, define and market the sectors for investment, regulate and enforce all investment, investigate investment fraud and account for all government investment incentives and market properly the region’s investment potential to domestic and foreign investment. This Bureau should also have an internal office or department in-charge of recruiting the highly skilled individuals and professionals that will be difference makers in every aspect of the region’s socio-economic administration and management.

This is not to say that the government shouldn't reach out to the rest of the Diaspora, no, the government should still encourage the larger Diaspora community and those who can afford,to make individual investment such as building their own houses in their home provinces and the regional state should provide the land for building individual homes. There are also a number of individuals in the Diaspora who can afford to invest and start small business and the regional State should be supportive by doing away with all the prohibitive business restriction that currently discourage small business start-ups and should provide incentives such as free taxation for a number of years and free land depending on the value of the business and its prospect to create jobs. Government incentives and generous tax exempts should be based on the number of news jobs the investment will create. The regional government should also encourage investment to be spread throughout the region by encouraging all 9 provinces and the Raaso region, to set up their own investment offices with their own unique investment incentives. The goal should be to encourage even development throughout the region. Right now, almost all new investment is in Jijiga Province and if the regional government doesn't come up with new policies to discourage investment in just one province,then, we are going to have a population explosion in Jijiga province and de-population will continue in the rest of the provinces.

Reaching out and tapping the potential of the Diaspora community is a great idea and can pay dividends in the short and long term. It can change the socio-economics foundation of the region and usher in new dynamics that can lift off the Somali region from its current primitive socio-economics culture and into a more competitive socio-economic foundation that can compete with Tigray, Amhara and Oromia regional States. However, it appears that the desire to reach out to the Diaspora community is done for political reason and at best, it’s ill conceived or poorly planned. If the two governments are not careful in their attempts to reach out to the Diaspora community and if they are not open and genuine with their attempts, the Diaspora community can easily be turn off and will have the opposite desired effect. I also have my doubts whether the Somali regional State leadership is ready for the influx of new talents and whether they will be comfortable with the new competition that will result from the influx of new talents. The new talent I’m talking about will not be just competing for the region’s top leadership; it will be in the form of new business and social entrepreneurs who will change the foundation and dynamics of the region’s current structure. I also believe that the region’s current political environment will be an obstacle for the return and attraction of the highly skilled and educated individuals, and would be the talented and legitimate business entrepreneurs. These are the difference makers and the desired talents from the Diaspora community, but, can the Somali regional government attract them or convince them to return, or, is the regional government’s investment marketing just public relation ploy or ill conceived strategy to undermine perceived ONLF support in the Diaspora?

Habib Ali Matan is a kilil5 Contributor and can be reached at Matan@kilil5.com

Posted in Featured Opinions| Kilil 5 Editorials| Politics | add new comment »

Timirtii horeba Dab loowaa!!

#19657 On Mon, 2010 01 04 22:15 Gaydhe (not verified) said,

Waxaa Khaati lala Joogay Caqli Xumada kooxdii hore ee Soo laabatay oo waxa ay soo kordhiyeen uu ahaa kaliya Hunguri iyo Qabiil, Haddana waxaa loo yeedhay Kuwa Horleh, Toloow Maxay Qaban ma dadkay wax ka xidhixidhi? Ileen Shaqaada ugu balaadhan ee ka jirta kililka Waa Jaajuus iyo Hunguriye! Tan labaad Waxaan layaaba kuwa isku Sheega Caqliga ee Haddana waxa ay ku hadlayaan aysan Sagaari ka birsan, Sida kuwa leh ONLF Ha is dhiibto iwm, waxaa lagu maah maahay Karis-xun iyana Wax kul`a, Haddii ONLF ayba Soo Gasho maxuu hayaa natijo ah? Haddii Siyaasad wax lagaga Gaadhi TPLF Kuwa jooga jigjiga ha u ogalooto in ay wax Qabsadaan oo Gingimaha iyo Eriga la laga taayo , hana laga daayo Laba aliflaha Xukuma iyo laaliish kulaynta, Waxaase iga Suaal ah TPLF Ayaa Ethipia u talisee ma waxay ku Xukuntaa Democracy iyo Cadlaad illeen Tigreyga waa 2.5 million haddii uu u bate? ONLF Waxay ahayd Tii ugu horeysay ee Tigrey ku hongoowda Barashana uguma laabna Ciddii kale ee wax ku og ha u doonato umulahana ha la dooxdo

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I agree with you

#19648 On Sun, 2010 01 03 11:50 Ahmed Shide (not verified) said,

I totally agree with you, we don't need the Diaspora as per se but we need those who possess the skills that we don't have here. The Da'ud administration should concentrate finding jobs for the hundreds of new graduates coming out of the country's universities rather than extending a hand to those in Diaspora, the majority who have little in common with the region's citizens.

We should welcome those who have the resources to create jobs in the region by investing large capital instead of looking for people who have the capital to start small shops which will create no jobs and no tax revenue.We need foreign investment and people who have the capital for mid-to-large capital investment.

As far as skilled people are concerned, I think the somali state is on its way producing enough skilled people in the near future as hundreds of current students in the universities graduate in the coming years.That is why we should focus on attracting foreign investment because the somali state will not have enough jobs for these new graduates in the coming years unless the current administration and future administrations come up with job producing initiates. The way I see it, the problem will be finding jobs for new graduates, rather than, lack of skilled man-power.The somali state has government jobs only and there won't be enough government jobs in the near future, and this will be problematic in my view for any future administration. we have to find away to create private sector jobs and that is by attracting large investment. I don't see why we can't attract large investment provided we put in place as the writer states a specific ministry charged with the responsibility of finding and attracting foreign investment in the region. The Tigray,Oromia and Amhara States have no difficulties finding and attracting billions of foreign investment every year because they put in place years ago a blue print and a clear plan for attracting foreign investment. Just to give you an example, our neighboring Oromia state has attracted over 100 billion birr foreign investment this year, and last year, it was well over 80 billion birr. The Tigray and Amhara states are not behind either. and the somali region: well the numbers don't lie, less than 200 million birr this year.

A lot of this can be blamed on the ONLF insurgency which has turned off would be foreign investors and still discourages meaningful foreign investment in the Somali region but i still believe we can do better than this. There hasn't been any sustained,clear,well formulated policies to attract foreign investment from the Da'ud administration which to be fair,has been in charged only one year now and the previous administration didn't have any plans at all. The focus should be putting together a sustained and well formulated policies and efforts to identify areas of investment in the region and finding would be investors in these sectors, whether they come from the region's Diaspora or other foreign companies is immaterial in my view. If we can find highly skilled and educated individuals from the Diaspora who can help us formulate and put in place new policies and measures that will identify and attract foreign invesment, that should be the priority for the administration. I think we have to target finding individuals from the Diaspora who have the technical and education skills,the exposure, and management experience to market the region to foreign investment, this should be the route instead of mass apeal to Diaspora communities with little to contribute as the writer states rightly so.

The state is rich in natural resources and this should be exploited, the state can encourage investment in large commercial agriculture via irrigation and exploitation of underground water by deploying modern technologies which the federal government is currently contemplating doing so in the region. The state has not exploited at all its biggest resource:the estimated 5 million camel,cattle,sheep and goats. The state should easily attract factories that process meat for domestic and for export. these factories can employ thousands of people and can earn the country and the region billions of birr every year. I can continue on and on...its clear the state has the resources to be exploited but we are lacking the resourcefulness to exploit our own God gifted natural resources. we can do a better job and we should do and if the Diaspora can contribute in this regard,then its welcomed.

Ahmed,Addis.

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Well said Ahmed

#19651 On Mon, 2010 01 04 04:52 Abdikani (not verified) said,

Well said brother.I echo your sentiment. You are right on the money. I will only add that the time has been reached when we should stop blaming ONLF for every administration's deficiency and federal government's failure to invest more resources in the region. yes, the ONLF is a pain in the ass and is the major obstruction to large investment in the region but the Somali State and federal government should guarantee security to foreign investors and come up with ways they can insure foreign ivestor's capital to encourage them to take risks in investing in the region.

I also believe that the tide has moved against ONLF with the new sanctions slapped agaist Eritrea. The political landscape has shifted under the feet of the ONLF. Its very plausible they might face more restrictions in Europe and North America and western nations might not be more tolerant with them any longer.While we can't predict the future and ONLF has managed to exist under very challenging environments in the past, the region can't wait for ever for ONLF to cease. we have to learn to live with the ONLF for the foreseable future but the Somali State and the federal government must come up with investment policies that will encourage foreign investors through mechanism that will insure foreign investors capital or provide some sort of guarantees to foreign investors if they invest in the region. I believe, if they can do this,eventually the region's citizens will see the benefit and will provide the local security to protect their own interest and that of foreign investors. The local communities will have a stake and will provide security, i guarantee you.

For the ONLF, the time has come to give up your crazy succesionist idea, the region's interest will be better served in a federal Ethiopia. ONLF should become a political party and bring to the table what they have to offer and cut the chase.I know they understand because I don't think they are this stupid but the chances of attaining succession from Ethiopia is one in a million, that western countries or African union for that matter will never entertain the idea of allowing mini-states in the horn or from Ethiopia. Just ask somalilanders,even cowboy Bush wouldn't do it.

Eritrea has killed that idea for ever and Ethiopia is now contemplating very seriously whether they should invade and bring Eritrea back into the fold once again. I'm sure majority of Eritreans will be happy to come back to Ethiopia and the rest of the world will be happy to see that happen.Eritrea has been too much of a trouble ever since it gained a temporary independence. ONLF has 20 plus years to learn from and look into the future crystal ball. My view is that ONLF leaders believe independence from Ethiopia is unattainable but their personal short term benefits out weights the political reality, and eventually, they will bargain for their own political gains but not until the easy cash from the Dictator in Eritrea and middle east cash dries up. The few donations from teh Diaspora are drying up and won't be enough to finance the luxurious lifestyles of the ONLF leadership and the poor boys in the field.

Let's hope some sanity prevails and ONLF leaders put the region's interest above theirs, just once.

Abdikani,
London.

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Waxay U yeerayaan fadhikudirirka shaqo la'aanta ah

#19647 On Sun, 2010 01 03 10:28 Dhuux hassan (not verified) said,

Waxaan u malayni in madaxda kililka aysan lasocon in inta badan qurbjoogta ay yihiin fadhikudirir cayr iska qaata oon talo wanaagsan iyo caqli nadiif ah midna aan lagu aqoonin. Hadaysan ka fiirsanin waxaa degaanka kusoo qulquli doona fadhikudirir wax boob mooyee iyo xaaraan xun mooyee caqli kale aan aqoonin oo qabiilkuna maskaxdooda ku waynaaday.

Qurbajoogta yurub iyo maraykan Illaahay shartooda ha ina dhaafsiiyo,uma baahnin,haday halkaas nagaga ekaadaan ayaan nasiib leenahay,waxaan u baahanay kaliya inta waxbaratay ee isku filaanshaha gaadhay.Qofkii isku filaansho gaara ayaa kaalmo lawaydiistaa,ee kii isaga cayr qaata,oo wakhtigiisa ku dhumiyay "maxaa layiri" iyo "imisa ayaa maanta dhimatay iyo reer hebel maxaa laga dilay,iyo dhul intee le'eg baan qabsanay iyo ma anagoo reer hebel ah iy wixi la mid ah" ee noqotay fikirka fadhikudirirka qurbaha jooga,kuwaas meeshay joogaan ayaa la iskaga oofaa,qudhun iyo qabyaalad iy xatooyo mooyee,wanaag kale ma keenayaan.

Dawladu waa inay ka fiirsato raadsashada xiriirka qurbajoogta,waxaan u baahanahay kuwa waxbartay kaliya iyo qofkii lacag uu wax ku maalgashado haysta, waayo qofkii waxbartay waa qof garasho iyo faaiido leh waayo qayrkii oo maxaa layiri wakhtigooda ku lumiyay ayuu waxbarasho iyo dantiis garasho ku dhaqaaqay kuwaas ayaana u baahanay. Calool madhan oo inay wax lunsato kaliya rabta iyo kuwa iyagoon aqoon iyo cilmi toona lahayn rabo inay xoolo bilaash iyo xoolo ladhacay guryo ka dhistaan ama ku taajiraan,kuwaas caydha yurub ha nagaga siijeedaan ee hanoogu yeerina hadii kale,qub iyo qac unbay nookeeni.

Qurbo dad wanaagsan kaamajiro,dad halaabay oo boolida iyo xoolo xaaraan lagu cuno bartay ayaa kaajira.Dhalinteena deegaanka joogta wax inoobara iyaga ayaa deegaanka ku filan mustaqbalka dhow iyo mida fog.Wakhtiga yaynaan ku dhumin raadinta dad aan faaiido lahayn oo dibada jooga.Xukuumadu waa inay wakhtiga galiso sidii dhalinta deegaanka ku sugan wax loobari lahaa.Anigu waxaan qabaa aqoonyahanka hada jaamicadaha wadanka kasoobaxaya iyo kuwa hada deegaanka jooga ayaa ku filan oo baahitiri kara dawlada deegaanka.

Anigu waxaan qabaa in dawladu siiso dhul ay qurbajooga guryo ka dhisato intooda awooda, iyo in dawladu ka caawiso intooda rabta inay dhulka ganacsi ka hirgashadaan,wixii intaas dhaafsiisan waxaan oran karaa waa wakhti dhumis iyo siyaasad xumi aan natiijo keenaynin.

Eng. Dhuux Hassan
Jijiga.

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