In a small restaurant adorned with Welsh and Somaliland flags, traditional dishes – lentil soups, meat and rice, stews and chopped salads – are brought out in quick succession.
“This is the best part of the day, literally!” says Mr Abdi.
“Nice and hot spicy food. Somali Bariis and Hilib, can’t go wrong.”
Also enjoying the meal is Munirah.
“I think it was a good way to close the event today, everyone enjoys having a nice meal – even better that it’s Somali traditional food,” she says.
Munirah, inspired by today’s event, says: “In the near future I would like to see if I can be the one that makes a change in my own country.”
The UK government’s position is that Somaliland’s status needs to be resolved in the local region.
A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “The UK believes that the settlement of Somaliland’s status is an issue for Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue, in which we encourage both parties to engage.
“Alongside others in the international community, we do not recognise Somaliland’s unilateral declaration of independence.
“The UK is a leading partner of Somaliland, supporting its stability and promoting economic, human and social development. For a decade the UK has been the only Western country with a permanent diplomatic presence in Hargeisa.”