Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram Somali Magazine - People's Magazine
Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Mohamed Omar Balcad, has rejected reports claiming that Qatar is mediating between the Somali federal government and the Somaliland administration. He emphasized that Somaliland is not a separate country but a region within Somalia, and said internal issues should be solved through dialogue among Somalis, not through foreign mediation.
Speaking in an interview with The New Arab during his two-day visit to Doha, Qatar, Minister Balcad clarified that Somalia does not see Somaliland as an independent entity requiring international negotiation. Instead, he said that discussions between Mogadishu and Hargeisa — the capitals of Somalia and Somaliland respectively — have taken place in the past, including in Djibouti and Ankara. While those talks did not produce major breakthroughs, they were part of Somalia’s strategy to solve its internal disputes through a constitutional process.
“Somaliland is a region of Somalia,” said the Minister. “We are committed to addressing our disagreements internally, using legal and constitutional mechanisms. If friendly countries want to support this process, we welcome them — but not as mediators between two separate states.”
Somaliland has operated as a self-declared independent region since 1991, following the collapse of Somalia’s central government. However, it has not received international recognition, and Somalia’s federal government continues to insist on national unity.
The Minister also addressed another issue during the interview — reports claiming the United States is holding talks with the militant group Al-Shabaab. He firmly denied those claims, calling them completely false.
“There are no talks between the U.S. and Al-Shabaab,” Balcad stated. “The United States has always treated Al-Shabaab as a terrorist group, and that has not changed.”
The statement comes after earlier suggestions from Hamza Warfa, a former U.S. State Department adviser, who said the Trump administration might be open to direct engagement with Al-Shabaab. However, the Somali government has consistently rejected the idea of negotiating with the group.
According to Minister Balcad, Somalia’s official policy remains focused on defeating Al-Shabaab through military and security efforts. “We are committed to removing this threat from our country,” he said.
Al-Shabaab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, continues to carry out deadly attacks in Somalia and has been listed as a terrorist organization by both the Somali government and the United States. The group seeks to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law and opposes the current Somali government and its allies.
In conclusion, Minister Ali Balcad used the platform during his Qatar visit to reaffirm Somalia’s position on two key issues: the unity of Somalia — including Somaliland — and the ongoing fight against Al-Shabaab. He made it clear that Somalia will not accept external framing that treats Somaliland as a separate state, nor will it support any effort to engage in dialogue with a group it considers a terrorist threat.