Somali None State Actors (NSA) gathering in Entebbe, Uganda

Following None-State Actor’s meeting will be a 3-day civil society meeting with private sector involvements. The meeting is intended to strengthen the cohesion and action of Somali civil society.  It will bring together a wide range of leading civil society actors, including NGOs, the business sector, Diaspora and media, both from within Somalia and from the Diaspora. 

The main purpose of NSA meeting is to formalize Somali Non-state actor’s forum.  The NSA forum has been an ongoing process for the past three years, and it is now in its final stage of being established. This entails consolidating and validating its structure through a General Assembly. 

This meeting is part of the Cotonou agreement which has been signed by 77 countries from Africa, the pacific, the Caribbean and 15 nations from the European Union and it is a set as a base for future trade cooperation among these countries. Somali Non-State actors consist of three distinctive groups, 1) Private sector including business community, 2) Civil Society and 3) Newly emerging Somali Professionals.   

“This is new beginning for Somali Civil Society as we make the effort to move from Clan based entity to processionals. Said, Osman Muhadin Tahliil, Member of the None-Sate Actors, Mr  Tahliil added, “today people in this meeting are relating to each other on professional level.”. Over fifty institutions representing various institutions are holding meetings dealing from trade to education.  

Upon the conclusion of this meeting, there will be another meeting on the Role of Civil society in the Somali’s current context. This is an unprecedented gathering of leaders of civil society. Civil society encompasses a wide variety of groups and actors. These include traditional elders, NGOs, the business community, women’s groups, youth groups, professional associations, and the media.  

Most participants will come from within Somalia, but a significant number will come from outside, reflecting the important political and economic impact of the Diaspora. This will be the first time that such high-level civil society leaders from within and outside Somalia have gathered together for reflection and dialogue on the role of civil society in peace-building and governance. Somalis in Uganda are also expected to attend the meeting.

Somali business community may also meet their counterparts I Uganda to discuss matters of great importance which are related to promotion of business in Somalia, business investment in Uganda. They are also expected to exchange of business experience and how the business community of both countries would venture into a joint trade partnership.  

This is the first time that such meeting is held outside the country which brought together the Non-state actors from Somali and outside Somalia.



Source: Hiiraan Online, 09 March 2008