– On Tuesday in Hargeisa, President Muse Bihi Abdi of Somaliland met with representatives from Norway and Turkey to talk about the reopening of negotiations between the federal government of Somalia and the breakaway province of Somaliland.
According to reports, President Bihi said his administration was prepared for serious talks, but he outlined seven requirements before the two-way negotiations could begin.
If Somalia was sincere about resuming talks, President Bihi told the delegation, all prior agreements should be carried out, including locating an international mediation mechanism to ensure the agreed-upon terms.
He suggested creating a separate secretariat to oversee the sessions.
In order to examine the main concerns and establish the foundation for a fruitful debate, President Bihi stated that there is a need for an agenda that precisely identifies the conflict between the two sides.
In Mogadishu on Monday, Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Yilmaz, Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires Haakon Svane, Turkish Special Representative Aykut Kumbarolu, and Norwegian Special Representative Ms. Heidi Johansen met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The international diplomats were warmly greeted by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for their dedication to promoting the restart of negotiations between Somalia and Somaliland.
According to President Mohamud, the long-standing Somaliland issue would be revisited within his administration’s foreign policy tenet, “Somalia at peace with itself and the World.”
In 2012, Somaliland initially consented to speak with the Somali government, but after several years of negotiations, little real progress was made. The old Somalia government was accused of breaking the deal by Somaliland.