"When others were very skeptical about possibility of establishing this service in Hargeisa saying that Somalis are not ready to handle ARV"s, it is too complicated for them. It was Leo who took courageous decision, came against all the skeptics and saying that Somalis can do it well and ownership belongs to them.

As result of this important decision of Leo, now there more than 500 people in Somaliland who are having an access to ARV service and the services providers are all Somaliland doctors and Nurses.

One thing that every body who has been involved in HIV/AIDS response will tell you, is that before UNAIDS comes to the picture in Somaliland, there were only very few coordinated activities of HIV/AIDS here and there.

I sincerely believe that UNIADS office led by Leo Kenny was instrumental to accelerate the HIV/AIDS intervention for Somaliland in terms of fund raising, coordination and HIV strategy framework, for these reasons Leo has won a respect and admirations from those who are working and involved in HIV/AIDS activities:-civil society, LNGOS, UN agencies and government partners .

Dear Leo

As for your information, to day you are leaving behind a well functioning AIDS commission, well structured civil society organizations, organize PLHIV groups, 4 VCT/ART centers in Somaliland and better coordinated AIDS response staring from UN system down to the Community level; and because of all these, the people of Somaliland and its government thank you very much and remembers you.

I am very proud to tell you that, AIDS commission has its IPTCS component group, communication task force, M&E working group and gender officer. All these different task forces meet regularly and produce results which are the things that you have been advocating and pressing us to do during your time in office.

Please be assured that the endeavors that you started will continue and AIDS commission and other partners will not rest unless every AIDS patient has the access for the needed interventions.

Dear partners & colleagues

I would say without any hesitations that Leo has brought the HIV/AIDS activities closer to the people, instead of Nairobi based; he made it possible that the activities are run by those who are closer to the people and on the ground and above all that HIV/AIDS response must be the ownership of the Somalis themselves.

Least but not last, your enormous contribution to HIV/AIDS Somali response will be remembered for many years. We congratulate on your new assignment in Geneva, and I have no doubt that you will be our good ambassador in Geneva too and where ever you are. I hope for you and you family Health and prosperous future.

Thank you