The Somaliland Development Corporation
A note from the SDC Secretary, Len Tiahlo, (16th April 2012) for general
distribution following the public launch on 22nd February 2012 in the
Jubilee Room – Westminster. London.
The launch ceremony.
The launch of the Corporation on the 22nd February was hosted by the All
Party Parliamentary Committee led by its Chairman the Rt Hon Alun
Michael MP and in the presence of the Minister for Africa, the Rt Hon
Henry Bellingham MP.
Somaliland was represented by H.E. President Ahmed Mohammed Silanyo with
First Lady Amina Haji Mohamud Jirde (Amina Waris). Foreign Minister
Hon. Dr Mohammed Abdillahi Omar, Minister of Planning Hon. Dr. Sa'ad
Shire and other dignitaries.
The Invitation list ( see attachment item 1) included representatives
from nearby and interested States and potential investor interests.
As the Hon Alun Michael MP succinctly put it in the House of Commons
Chamber, “The Corporation has been established because of the lack of
recognition that makes involvement in international trade and business
difficult…. Despite its extraordinary achievements in stability and
democracy, international donors cannot deal directly with its
Government, and foreign investors face uncertainty about whether
contracts—the basis of secure business—can be enforced…. The point of
the Corporation is to facilitate international investment in Somaliland
and economic interaction for the benefit of the Somaliland people.”
Also the reader is invited to visit the Internet Somaliland1960 blog
site where the early foundation videos for the SDC set out the need for a
Trustee Ownership Structure for the long-term benefit of the people of
Somaliland and interests of sound business investors. The site also
includes news updates and answers to frequently asked questions.
Please visit:
http://somaliland1960.blogspot.co.uk
The Corporation’s present status.
Following the Launch, The Corporation presently exists as the UK registered Donor based entity.
This is the driving vehicle for establishing the SDC’s financial
foundation, for the appointment of Trustees, the development of already
defined projects and the incorporation of an Investor based entity to
attract the transformational potential of major private equity players
and sound international businesses.
The Corporation’s Directors are Myles Wickstead CBE, formerly the
British Ambassador to Ethiopia, Jeremy Carver CBE, formerly Head of
International Law at Clifford Chance and Dr Rashid Hassan, Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs and International Development. The Board has
already initiated its search and selection process for Trustees and has
co-opted eminent Somalilanders Dr Edna Adan and Dr Sa’ad Shire as
Founder Trustees to work as the Trustee Search Team on the selection
process with Dr Rashid Hassan having already provided an initial list of
prospective candidates, with the whole purpose being the appomtment of
a set of Trustees that has the support of the Government, the
Somaliland Parliament and Elders of Somaliland Society.
(Extracts of the UK registered Corporation’s Articles of association are provided in attachment 2.)
The Board will complement the Somalilander appointed Trustees with two additional Appointments from the international community.
The whole purpose of the Trustees is to ensure adherence with
a) the World Bank Anti Corruption guidelines and
b) the Corporation’s code of practice with principles no less stringent
than those called for by the Private Infrastructure Development Group;
so that high standards of disclosure shall be consistently applied to
Donors, Investors and the Somaliland Community at large, with the
objective of achieving value for money and promotion of long term good
governance.
At the Donor Company Level, the present Directors will retire once a new
qualified Board is selected which will include the ex officio
appointment from the Ministry of Planning. In addition the Investor
Company Directorship will include the ex officio appointment from the
Ministry of Finance.
Background information on the current Directors and Secretary is provided in Attachment 3.
The Somaliland Development Corporation - Structure
In-Country Workshop
Incubation work on an agreed project slate will start after the holding of an In-Country Workshop, scheduled to take place as soon as possible in Hargeisa. The workshop will allow the SDC the opportunity to give presentations - to the President, Council of Ministers, both Houses of the Somaliland Parliament and the local business community - about the role the Corporation will play in promoting economic growth and prosperity in Somaliland and to introduce potential Investor representatives. This occasion would also provide the Directors and our co-opted local team of Dr Edna Adan and Dr Sa’ad Shire with face-to-face dialogue with potential local Somalilander Trustees and prospective Board Directors to replace as soon as possible the current entirely Pro Bono Director team of Myles Wickstead and Jeremy Carver.
The SDC team plans also invite Workshop participation by available
members of the All Party Parliamentary Group and to bring with them
representatives from sound business interests and its banking partner,
Crown Agents Banking.
Attachment One
Invitation List for the launch of the Somaliland Development Corporation , 22nd Feb 2012
From Somaliland
H.E. President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud – Silanyo and First Lady AminaWeris Sheikh Mohamed Jirde.
Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamed Abdillahi Omar
Private Secretary of the President – Mr. Ali Ahmed
From the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Minister for Africa, Rt Hon Henry Bellingham MP
Senior Liaison Officer for Somaliland (the former UK Ambassador to Ethiopia) , Gordon Weatherell
UK Ambassador to Ethiopia, H.E. Gregg Dorey
UK Ambassador to Somalia, H.E. Matt Baugh
Somaliland & Puntland Desk Officer, Ms Saikat Dutta,
From DFID
Mr. Jon Hargreaves DFID Lead in Nairobi
Ms Joy Hutcheon Bilateral Geographical Director-
From the APPG and other Parliamentarians
Rt Hon Alun Michael MP and Rt Hon Tony Baldry and to include some of the APPG members:
Lord Avebury
Sir Peter Bottomley
R Hon Gary Streeter MP
Duke of Montrose Montrose
Rt Hon Laurence Robertson MP
Rt Hon Mark Williams MP
Rt Hon Mark Simmonds MP
Rt Hon Jenny Willott MP
Lord McColl of Dulwich
Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP
Rt Hon Clive Betts MP
Rt Hon Mark Hendrick
Lord Anderson of Swansea
Rt Hon Luciana Berger MP
Rt Hon Stephen Pound
Rt Hon Rushanara Ali MP
Rt Hon Paul Blomfield MP
Rt Hon Paul Flynn MP
Rt Hon Martin Horwood MP, Chair of the LibDem International Affairs Committee
Baroness Lindsay Northover, International Affairs Interests on behalf of H.M.G. – House of Lords
From interested State representatives, Ethiopia, S Sudan, UAE
Ethiopia , HE Ambassador Berhanu Kebede
South Africa HE Henry Nkosi, First Secretary, High Commission for the Republic of South Africa,
South Sudan – UK representative Mr. Paul Akaro
Uganda - HE Ambassador to UK
Ghana – HE Ambassador Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo
U.A.E. - H.E. Ambassador in London - Ambassador’s PA
From the Founding members of the UK registered Somaliland Development Corporation Limited:
Director and Somaliland Minister of State Dr Mohamed-Rashid Sheikh Hassan
Somaliland Minister of Planning Dr Saad Shire
Director Jeremy Carver
Director Myles Wickstead
SDC Founder, Secretary Len Tiahlo
Paul Whiteway – Independent Diplomat
Ms Lulu Todd - SIRAG
From Partners with the Somaliland Development Corporation
Crown Agents - Banking Services, Director Jeremy Taylor
Persons nominated as potential Trustees, Directors
Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Ciro) - Chairman of Somaliland Parliament -
Dr Edna Ismail
Leaders of Political Parties of Somaliland
Muse Bihi Abdi – Leader of the Kulmiye Party
Faisal Ali Warabe – Leader of the UCID Party
Mohamed Yasin – Vice Chair of the UDUB Party
Somalilander Business Delegates:
Mohamoud Hassan Ismail
Mr.Ibrahim Abdirahman,
Abdikarim Ahmed Awed – Wales Somaliland Community Chairman,
Mr. Ibrahim Arab Jama – Deputy Director Somali Advice Centre
Anwar Aden Mohamed
Invited Business Guests
Lord Oxford
David Jamison –co-founder of VITOL
Charles Tryon –co Founder and Managing Partner of Maris Capital
Henry Obi - Chief Operating Officer of Helios Investment Partners LLP
Mohammed Yusef Chairman / CEO Invicta capital
Tony Worthington – former MP and member of the APPG -
Sir Eldryd Parry – co founder of THET
Michael Kariya, London Attorney Blake Cassels Graydon LLP
Hans Holmen, Exec Director of The Coller Private Equity Institute, London Business School.
Ms Salma Sheikh – Leader of West London Somaliland Professionals –
Abdirahman Awliyo, Chair of the European Somaliland Soc.
Abdirashid Duale - Chief Executive Dahabshiil
From Somaliland Media
Ahmed Kadleye
Khadar Ali
From International Media
Reuters Bill MacLean for Adrian Croft
Attachment Two
Extracts from the Articles of Association of the UK registered Somaliland Development Corporation (Limited by Guarantee)
The Articles of Association include the following objects for which the Donor Company was established:
1) To be an internationally and legally recognized entity whereby
resources will be channeled and agreements made in a contractually
enforceable manner, under a system of supervision that ensures
transparency and full accountability to both Donors and recipient
parties all for and on behalf of the people of Somaliland.
2) Both the Trustees and members of the corporations’ management Board shall adhere to the following operating principles:
2a) The World Bank Anti Corruption guidelines;
2b) Compliance with the Code and spirit of principles no less
stringent than those outlined by the Private Infrastructure Development
Group’s (PIDG) documentation as has been provided to the Company.
3) High standards of disclosure to Donors shall be consistently
applied with the objective of achieving value for money and promotion of
good governance.
4) The Company has a primary mission for supporting key
infrastructure and inclusive development projects within Somaliland.
5) The income and property of the Company shall be applied solely
towards the promotion of the objects of the Company. The Directors
undertake to ensure no profit from the Company is paid or transferred
directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise to the
members of the Company.
Attachment 3. The Founders of the Corporation.
The Pro Bono Founders of the SDC, having now established and publicly
launched the entity, now seek to complete the process of selecting and
appointing the Trustees of the Corporation and to assist in their
selection and appointment of Directors of the Donor and Investor wholly
owned subsidiaries.
Myles Wickstead CBE
Myles is a Founding Director of the SDC Corporation.
Myles has a long and distinguished history of involvement in development
work in Africa. Formerly British Ambassador to Ethiopia, 2000 to 2004,
then Head of the Secretariat for the Commission for Africa at the time
of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland in 2005, when the focus was on
Africa and climate change. Previously based in Nairobi between 1993 and
1997, he headed the British Government’s Development Division in Eastern
Africa and oversaw development programmes in Kenya, Tanzania and
Uganda. He co-ordinated the 1997 Government White Paper on ‘Eliminating
World Poverty: A Challenge for the 21st Century; served on the board of
the World Bank in Washington DC between 1997 and 2000. In the 2006 New
Year Honours list, Myles was appointed a CBE.
Jeremy Carver CBE
Jeremy is a Founder and Director of the SDC Corporation.
Jeremy Carver has more than 37 years experience as an international
lawyer with Clifford Chance LLP, where he was a partner in London for 30
years. He has represented and advised many states and governments in
boundary disputes, treaties, investments and development.
Jeremy first trained as a Petroleum Engineer before deciding to train
and practice law, rising to become a Partner and Head of International
Law at Clifford Chance. Jeremy remains a Consultant to Clifford Chance
and is President of the British branch of the International Law
Association, a Board Member of Transparency International, Berlin,
Co-Chair of the International Rescue Commission UK., a leading
humanitarian agency.
Dr Mohamed-Rashid Sheikh Hassan
Dr Hassan is a Founder and Director of the SDC Corporation.
Dr Mohamed Rashid Sheikh Hassan is Somaliland’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
He worked on the Somalia Desk of the BBC World Service, and studied
Political Science and Social Anthropology at London University, School
of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and London School of Economics
and Political Science (LSE). He was the Vice Chairman of the UCID
Political party of Somaliland.
Len Tiahlo
Len Tiahlo is a Founder and Secretary of the SDC Corporation.
Having graduated in Chemical Engineering, Len worked with Anglo American
Corp in Zambia before returning to the UK and Norway to consult on Oil
and Gas development projects in the North Sea. He later became part of
the ARCO International Inc’s Los Angeles based Investment Approvals and
Mergers and Acquisition team with an active record including BRITOIL and
Tricentrol. Len’s plus 30 years of experience in oil and gas asset
evaluation and business development included a 2003 scouting mission to
Ethiopia where the then British Ambassador Myles Wickstead introduced
Len and his Investor Group, including legal advisory by Jeremy Carver,
to Somaliland.
