Adal Resources & Development Assistance Association (ARDAA)

July 6, 2009

Communiqué

 

Ibrahim A. Absiye President of the Board of Directors, ARDAA

Adal Resources and Development Assistance Association (ARDAA) is a non-profit, non-political community-based organization with the mission and mandate of dedicating its resources to the promotion and development of the social and economic advancement of the Adal regions and their communities through the engagement and commitment of the diaspora and homeland resources. ARDAA regional mandate covers Adal territories within Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.

 

The ARDAA Annual Conference held on July 3-5, 2009 in Ottawa, Canada was a tremendous success by all accounts and it facilitated the creation of a unique atmosphere in terms of the caliber and expertise as well as the participation of the leaders of the community. Presenters and participants came from all across Canada and the United States bringing the best and the brightest of Adalites living in the Diapora, bringing with them expertise in their fields, passion, firm commitment and a common vision to pool their skills and resources to benefit all peoples of the Adal regions.

 

This conference reignited and refocused attention on the need for advancement

and development in the areas of education, public health, economic development and leadership, NGO’s, infrastructure, agriculture, preservation of cultural heritage and community development. There were many recommendations that came out of this conference. The Board of Directors agreed to study these recommendations and to establish priorities for the short, medium, and long terms.  The numerous recommendations included but not limited to the following major programs:

 

1. Strengthening the unity of the diaspora with an unconditional support in terms of participation, membership and donations for ARDAA as a community based umbrella organization that could develop strong governance, accountability, transparency and without consideration for clan based representation.

 

2. Strengthening the theme of “you can buy a house but not a home” – the connection to the homeland is an emotional attachment and cannot be replaced by citizenship from other countries.

 

3. To maintain the recommendations that came out of the Minneapolis conference in 2007 in terms of priority projects such as roads, education and agriculture.
4. To create achievable projects for ARDAA including supporting short term projects such as Geb boarding school, professional development for teachers, completion of Borama stadium, agriculture, forestation, the Fistula Hospital in Borama and increase nursing staffing in the health care system, esp. hospitals

 

5. To increase health education and health promotion with regard to Khat addiction, water sanitation, environmental protection and public washrooms for Borama.

 

6. Promotion of and support for small business through the creation of light industries by diaspora in partnership with local businesses as well as vocational and skill development centres, which will also increase employment.

 

7. To preserve collective memory and historical data through the creation of library archives, documentation of Adal history and protection of historical sites.

 

8. Creating mobile libraries for children and youth with wireless technology, using renewable energy, and to tap into the untapped resources of the Adal regions.

 

9. To create unique projects that promote the mission and vision of ARDAA through the theme of moving forward and with a unique connection to the community.

 

10. To develop media ethics by establishing standards and codes of conduct and by offering training seminars and capacity building.

 

11. ARDAA expansion to other parts of the world: national and international level  and leadership development and to develop ARDAA owned/operated media such as radio and multilingual newsletter.

 

12. To support micro lending for women who are the main wage earners of families in the Adal region.

 

13. Agricultural technical support, marketing cooperative, seed multiplication center and scholarships for training agriculture students.

 

14. Both the membership drive and the fundraising efforts at the conference have greatly exceeded expectations. The community recommended that ARDAA continues its resources development (fundraising) campaign and also start implementing its workplan as soon as possible.

 

15. The ARDAA membership has approved the amended bylaws, slate of the Board of Directors, and recommended to establish a strong and sustainable foundation for the organization to function smoothly.

 

16. The 2010 Annual Conference will be held in Dallas, Texas. Thanks to the Adal community in Texas for their generousity.

 

 

Panelists, speakers, moderators and administrators of the conference included, but not limited to the following members of the community:

 

 

Hashi Abib                              Abdirahman Aw Elmi

Adan Amin                             Mohamed Hersi Bahal

Mohamed Hussein Farid         Ugas Abdirashid Ugas Dodi

Mohamed Hussein Hadi         Mohamud Ahmed Duksiye

Mahamud Farah                      Abdisalam Ahmed Nur

Mohamed Ali Musa                Abdikarim Ege Guled

Ibrahim A. Absiye                  Mohamed Abdillahi, Shiine

Roda A. Mizan                       Ubah Ismail Nur

Suleman Abdi Duksiye           Hassan K. Abtidon

Mohamed Dahir Aden                        Mustafe Ugas Dodi

Harawe Sh Omer Goth           Rashid Bakal

Abdirazak Weireh                   Mohamed Alabari

Idris A. Farah                          Khadra Muhumed Barkhadle

D.r Nimo Sh. Abubakar          Dr. Abdishakur Sh. Ali Jowhar

Nuh Amin Arre                       Abdi Dahir Aye

Ibrahim Wiqiye                       Safiya Abdillahi Ismail

Muhyadiin Warsame               Dr. Abdikarim Hassan Mattan

Fawzi Ibrahim Rijal                Hussein Jama Abdilllahi

Luis Gilbert                             Saad Ismail Samatar

Ibrahim Muhumed Aye          Ahmed Muhumed Gedi

Prof. Ahmed Ismail Samatar  Prof. Hussein Ahmed Warsame

Dr. Fawzia Aden Abrar          Ebado Gelle

Mohamed Farah                      Prof. Mohamed Nuh Ali

Maryan Omer Ali                    Quman Sh. Mumin

 

Wabillaahi towfiiq

 

Ibrahim A. Absiye

President of the Board of Directors,

ARDAA