afrol News / Awdal News Network, 4 May - Somaliland President Dahir Riyale Kahin yesterday sacked his Minister of Commerce Mohammed Hashi Elmi for "lack of cooperation," according to Abdi Idris Duale, the spokesman of the President of the breakaway republic.

Spokesman Duale, with whom ANN has communicated by telephone, claimed that ex-Minister Elmi had shown a complete lack of teamwork during his tenure in office and the President had decided to relieve him of his duties.

He added that Somaliland President Riyale had asked Mr Hasan Wadaad, Deputy Minister of Commerce, to be in charge of the Ministry until a new Minister is appointed.

President Riyale has been in power in the non-recognised state since his predecessor, President Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, died in May 2002. He was re-elected in democratic popular elections in April last year, when he also appointed his current cabinet.

Meanwhile, Somaliland's cabinet yesterday passed the 2003 budget which totalled Somaliland shilling 161 billion (US$ 22 million), 43 percent more than that of 2002.

- This is by far the largest budget attained since the creation of Somaliland, said Mr Duale, citing customs and services fees as the main source of income in the absence of the role of the livestock export, which normally is Somaliland's largest hard currency earner.

Somaliland's economy was largely affected by a several year old ban on its livestock exports by Saudi Arabia, the traditional and largest market for Somaliland's livestock.

Answering a question on rumours about an imminent cabinet reshuffle, Mr Duale said that the cabinet was functioning properly and he didn't know of any plans for reshuffle at the moment.

By Awdal News (ANN) staff reporter in Hargeisa

© Awdal News Network / afrol News

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