The Somali National Olympic Committee (NOC) has successfully concluded a two-day sports administration workshop for authorities from national federations and regional zones. The workshop was held at the Sahafi Hotel where the Somali NOC mostly organizes its courses.

President of the Somali (NOC) Aden Hajji Yeberow gave an address at the conclusion ceremony of the workshop and said his NOC was prioritizing the enhancement of the administrative knowledge of the country’s sporting authorities.

“As you know the Somali NOC has for the first time drawn a four-year strategy plan 2011-2014 and it was in our strategy plan to hold such workshops–you know the 18-month long Advanced Sports Management Course is now underway for some other sports administrators and you are going through this one–this is the kind of development program we promised the day of our election in March 2009,” Mr Yeberow said.

The workshop was due to be held earlier in the week but was postponed because representatives from some regions could not arrive in Mogadishu before Wednesday afternoon because of heavy rain falls.

“The Somali NOC is playing its role, so we want you (the Federations) to redouble your activities, because Somalia is emerging from more than two decades of wars and sports needs to develop in order to compete with the rest of the world,” the NOC president told participants.

On behalf of the workshop participants, Somali Volleyball Federation deputy president Mohamed Abokar Hiireey praised Somali NOC for its efforts in promoting sport in the war-weary country.

“We are very grateful to the Somali NOC for trying its best to enhance our managing skills–taking advantage from this opportunity we promise that the national federations will enlarge their work through many different regions and in the capital, championships will be recommenced since peace has returned to Mogadishu,” Hiireey added.