48 years today, Italian Somaliland gained its independence from Italy and united with British Somaliland to form the Somali Republic, located in the Horn of Africa (the Eastern tip of the continent).

It is estimated that over 70,000 Somalis now live in London, many having fled the troubles in their country of late, and the Somali community is thought to be the oldest African community here.  There is, of course, a growing Somali community in the Streatham parliamentary constituency.

I was very grateful to be invited to take part in the Third Annual Somali Community Conference at Richard Atkins Primary School last night, organised by the Aayatiin Foundation For Relief & Development (headed by Dr Musse Hassan, with whom I am pictured above).

I would like to wish all Somalis living in the Streatham my very best wishes for their Independence Day celebrations today and look forward to working with the community to improve the educational prospects of their children and the employment prospects of Somalis in Streatham, amongst other things (I am pictured right discussing these issues with conference delegates).