Somali Minister of Diaspora Affaires official visit to Ottawa, Canada

Somali Minister of Diaspora Affaires, Hon Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle Azhari and Somali Ambassador to Kenya, H.E. Mohamed Ali Nur Americo, concluded two days official visit to Ottawa, Canada on Wednesday April 01, 2009.

On Tuesday March 31, 2009, the Somali Delegation were received as guests of the House of the Commons and were acknowledged in a full house session of the Canadian Parliament during question period, where the Speaker of the Canadian Parliament, Hon Peter Milliken, announced “I would like to draw to the attention of Honorable Members the presence in the gallery of Honorable Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle, the Minister of Diaspora Affaires for Somalia and H.E. Mohamed Ali Nur, the Somali Ambassador to Keny a“. After the Speaker’s announcement, the full house of members of the parliaments rouses up to honor the Somali Delegation.

On Wednesday April 01, 2009, Hon Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle Azhari and H.E. Mohamed Ali Nur Americo, held a two hour meeting with a 15 member contingent of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Somali Delegation were invited to a lunch reception inside the Canadian Parliament and was attended by Parliamentarians, officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and also elders from the Somali Diaspora Community.

According to the Canadian Officials and the Somali Delegation, the two days visit was very productive. “I conveyed to the Canadian official the urgency of the situation in Somalia, and what the immediate needs of the government are. I found them to be well informed”, said by Somali Minister of Diaspora Affaires, Hon Abdullahi Ahmed Abdulle Azhari. Added Ambassador Mohamed Ali Nur Americo “Canadian Foreign Officials are for the first time on the wave length as us. We briefed them on the present needs of reconciliation, security and capacity building, and they indicated that they will be full partners with us.”

On the evening of Wednesday April 01, 2009, the Somali delegation were invited to a reception organized by the Somali community in Ottawa, were the Ambassador and the Minister had a frank discussion and consultations with community. The meeting was facilitated by Farah Aw-Osman of Canadain Friends of Somalia.