(13 Nov 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++CLIENTS: RESENDING EDIT TO FIX AUDIO LEVELS++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hargeisa, Somaliland – 13 November 2024
1. Wide of people standing in line to vote
2. Mid inside a hall where the voting booths are located
3. Mid of current President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi arriving at the polling station.
4. Various of inside the room where people are voting
5. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Muse Bihi Abdi, Somaliland President:
"In this election, all Somalilanders will win, it is not just one particular political party that will come out on top. Our national interest and government will succeed when we peacefully cast our ballots and when we count those ballots peacefully.”
6. Various of the challenger to the current president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Irro, who leads the WADANI political party, as he arrives at the polling center and votes
7. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, Somaliland opposition leader:
"I would say to the people of Somaliland, vote for change, vote for the success of Somaliland and its people. I wish you a great election.”
8. Various of locals outside the polling station chanting
STORYLINE:
Voting was underway Wednesday in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland in a key presidential election that was delayed for two years and comes as the Horn of Africa region is experiencing political tension.
Local media showed voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, with many saying they want a stronger economy and more jobs, among other local priorities.
More than 1 million people are expected to cast votes at more than 2,000 polling stations, with some 28 international observers spread across the country.
President Muse Bihi Abdi of the ruling Kulmiye Party is seeking a second term after seven years in office, during which he has pushed for Somaliland’s international recognition.
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi of the main opposition Waddani Party campaigned on a platform of democratic reforms and social cohesion, while Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Welfare Party advocates for a national unity government.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid a descent into conflict, has sustained its own government, currency and security structures despite lacking international recognition. Over the years, the region has built a stable political environment, contrasting sharply with Somalia’s ongoing struggles with insecurity.
The region’s economic struggles were among the reasons cited by the government when it announced a delay in the presidential election in 2022.
Somaliland’s latest agreement with neighboring Ethiopia granting it access to the Indian Ocean in exchange for recognition has caused political tension with Somalia, which accuses Ethiopia of undermining its territorial integrity.
This will be Somaliland’s fourth presidential election. The country’s delayed presidential elections raised concerns about the stability and consistency of its electoral process.
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/36aaaf7e1d8c4d11a3acf1e36fb2329a
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in November 18, 2024, 12:04 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
