Thursday April 13, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President's Special Envoy on Somaliland Affairs, Abdikarim Hussein Guled, held a phone conversation on Wednesday with the departing US Ambassador to Somalia, Larry Andre, addressing the importance and urgency of initiating dialogue with Somaliland.
Ambassador Andre conveyed his support for Guled's endeavours, emphasizing the US government's dedication to endorsing discussions between Somalia and Somaliland. These talks aim to settle long-standing political disagreements and foster regional stability.
This week, Guled returned to Somalia following a
meeting with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh on Sunday in Djibouti. They discussed the forthcoming round of negotiations between the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Somaliland administration. Djibouti has been instrumental in mediating these intermittent discussions over the past several years.
Since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed
appointed Guled as the Special Envoy on Somaliland Affairs, he has participated in multiple preparatory meetings for the upcoming negotiation round.
Guled has previous experience in resolving disputes between Somalia and Somaliland, working on the matter during President Mohamud's term from 2012 to 2017. Somaliland, an autonomous region in northern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 but has yet to receive international recognition.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi expressed approval of Guled's appointment, indicating a readiness to engage in the dialogue.