Rayale Leaves For The USA On A Private Visit

President Rayale shortly before leaving Hargeysa airport on 2 Jan 2008 for Addis, London and Washington trip

Hargeysa, Somaliland, January 5, 2008 (SL Times) – Somaliland president Dahir Rayale Kahin is due to arrive in London today on his way to the USA.

Shortly before leaving the Somaliland capital Hargeysa on Wednesday, Mr. Rayale told local reporters that he was traveling to Ethiopia, the UK and the US for the sake of promoting his country’s interests.

The Somaliland leader and members of his delegation are expected to stay in London for 9 days while awaiting to be issued US entry visas.

President Rayale paid an official 2-day visit to the UK in 2006 at the invitation of the British government.

Besides being this country’s former colonial ruler, the UK is currently home to tens of thousands of Somalilanders who send several hundred million dollars in remittances annually to relatives back home.

Mr. Rayale’s upcoming visit to the US will be the second by a Somaliland leader since this country declared independence on 1991.

In 1999, the late Somaliland president Egal visited Washington DC where he met with US government officials at both the State Department and the Pentagon.

The Somaliland government has not disclosed any itinerary for the visit which president Rayale is intending to make to the US. But it is understood that while in the US, Mr. Rayale will be hosted by leaders of the Somaliland community living there.

Meanwhile sources close to the state department have confirmed that about one year ago the US government received a request by Mr. Rayale for permission to enter the US for medical examination.

Source: Somaliland Times