Somaliland, Somalia presidents meet in AddisAbaba

By:MoDuale and Jama Farah

Presidents of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi and Somalia Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo met Ethiopia for first-ever high-level direct face-to-face meeting reportedly brokered by Ethiopian Prime minister Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali.

No further details about what they have discussed have been reported.

On February 09, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, and his delegation arrived at Addis Ababa the Capital City of Ethiopia and warmly welcomed by Dr. Aklilu Haile Michael, Ethiopia’s State Minister of foreign affairs.

On February 08, Somalia President Mohamed Abdilahi farmajo and his delegation have arrived in the Ethiopian capital to attend the 33rd African Union Ordinary Summit.

Talks between Somalia and Somaliland

On September 2, 2019, the Somaliland government sets new conditions for Dialogue with Somalia. The press statement issued by the spokesperson of the president said, Somaliland is ready for continuing Somaliland and Somalia dialogue, which should be held in a neutral venue with a clear agenda touching future relations, and the international community should serve as mediators. Also, there should be guarantors to avoid any party to breach agreements.”

The talks between Somaliland and Somalia which the Turkish government hosted collapsed on March 2015 and all attempts to revive the stalled negotiation have not been achieved.

The talks began in 2012 when the London Conference on Somalia, held at Lancaster House on February resulted in a communiqué. Pre-talks communique emphasised “the need for the international community to support any dialogue that Somaliland and Somalia’.
The Somaliland-Somalia hit a deadlock several times over technical issues. Both Somalia and Somaliland governments are keen to resume talks.

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