Bosaso, Somalia - August 1st marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Puntland Administration, the semi-autonomous region in north-east Somalia. Celebrations marking the event have taken place in several cities in the region including Garowe, Galka’you, Bosaso and others. The region has made remarkable progress since President Ade Muse took power. Such progress includes a plan to increase the region’s security. Puntland also embarked on efforts to exploit its natural resources and as a result signed agreements with several foreign companies to conduct explorations in the valleys of Dharor and Nugal. On the other hand, Puntland has recently faced security challenges including kidnappings, bombings and assassinations which took place in some of its cities. There have been also some internal conflicts within its administration including the dismissal of several Ministers. Puntland also lost the city of Las Anad, the capital of Sool, to Somaliland Administration. Moreover, Puntland’s troops have gone without salaries on several occasions and skyrocketing inflation has hurt many, particularly the poor. There will be national elections in 2009 and the president of Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf was recently in the region to discuss with the region’s administration about the elections and security issues. Despite the ups and downs the region and its people faced in the last ten years, like Somaliland, Puntland has achieved unqualified success in terms of security, economic progress and democratic governance compared to what is happening to their southern brethren in Southern Somalia.
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