Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Somaliland: Norwegian Ambassador Visits Hargeisa.

Hargeisa (HAN) February 14, 2006 - The Norwegian Ambassador to Kenya, Elisabeth Jacobsen, arrived in Hargeysa last week to visit a number of projects being implemented in Somaliland with funding assistance from the Norwegian Foreign ministry.
Shortly after her arrival, Ambassador Jacobsen went to Hargeysa’s public hospital where she inaugurated a new medical ward for the treatment of women traumatized as a result of female genitals cutting, which is widely practiced in Somaliland. This new unit together with a gynecological ward was funded by Norway.

During her visit to the hospital, Ms Jacobsen met with Mohamed Hussein Abi head of the Community Committee for Hargeysa hospital, Yassin Arab the hospital’s director and Abdul-wahab Nakruma, from the ministry of Health’s Hygiene department.

The Norwegian Ambassador’s visit coincided with the international anti-FGC day celebrations which the international community has declared as the 6th of February. The occasion was observed for the first time in Somaliland on last year.

Jacobsen said the Norwegian funding for the projects implemented at the Hargeysa hospital were channeled through Care International. The Norwegian diplomat also visited projects in other areas of Hargeysa.

Norway is also one of the donors that provide assistance to Somaliland through other international organizations and UN agencies. The Norwegian Refugee Council also operates in Somaliland. The NRC provides assistance to the displaced and returnees as well public schools.
That night the Norwegian Ambassador Elisabeth Jacobsen had paid a courtesy call to Somaliland’s Foreign minister Edna Adam at her residence in hargeisa.

After the arrival of the Norwegian diplomat was reported the Somali language daily Haatuf, a number of readers called to express their admiration for the Ambassador’s courage to come to Somaliland at a time when the whole Muslim world was upset by recent cartoons published on prophet Mohamed by Danish, Norwegian and other European newspapers. Somaliland times

HAN Note: "They visited Hargeisa Hospital with the following delegations: Norwegian Ambassador to Kenya Elisabeth Jacobsen, flanked by Somaliland Minister of Family Affiars Ms Fadumo, Sudi and Abdul-wahab Nakruma from dept. of Hygiene in the Ministry of Health and the Director of Hargeysa Hospital Dr. Yassin Arab (back right) while inaugurating a medical ward at Hargeysa Hospital.

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