State building is often misrepresented as a technical matter of setting up new institutions then training people to do their jobs. However, establishing a viable state against the background of ethnically charged conflicts and a history of exclusion is a long-term process. It involves cultivating an inclusive political community that transcends ethnic, religious and cultural differences.
The 2009 Annual Conference titled, “Somaliland Facing Challenges of free and Fair Elections”, provided a useful forum to take stock of developments around Somaliland democracy within the previous year. It allowed discussions for Somaliland’s democratization process, the challenges of free and fair elections, and newly emerging issues.
