I would like to begin by congratulating the Nation of Somaliland on the successful and historic presidential election held on November 13th of this year.

While this was not Somaliland's first election, it was the first joint election, combining both the presidential race, which occurs every five years, and the National Party election, held once every ten years. What stood out about this election was the remarkable enthusiasm shown by the voters, with many arriving at polling stations well before they opened at 7 a.m. In fact, some voters were already in line by 4 a.m. to cast their ballots.

Equally impressive was how smoothly and uneventfully the election unfolded.

There were no reports of violence, voter suppression, or fraud, which is a notable achievement. The entire process was transparent, with representatives from all parties present at the polling stations to ensure fairness. Once the polls closed and the votes were counted, the candidates quickly conceded and congratulated the winner — a rare and commendable practice, especially in this part of the world or in Africa as a whole.

This was confirmed by international observers, who witnessed the election firsthand and praised Somaliland for its transparency and organization. They noted that Somaliland's election process should serve as a positive example for other African nations in conducting future elections. As a member of the

Somaliland diaspora, I am incredibly proud!

Abdi Kabadeh

Toronto, Canada