Somaliland has rejected any talks of unification with Somalia, despite the offer of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to act as a mediator between the two sides. Somaliland said it only wants to discuss how to coexist peacefully as separate countries.
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 after a civil war that killed tens of thousands of people. However, no country has formally recognized Somaliland as a sovereign state, and Somalia still considers it part of its territory.
The two sides have had several rounds of talks since 2012, but they have failed to resolve their political differences. The last meeting was in 2015 in Djibouti, where they agreed to resume dialogue and cooperate on security and trade issues.
However, the relations between Somalia and Somaliland have deteriorated in recent years due to disputes over territory, resources, and foreign influence. In 2018, Somalia accused Somaliland of violating its sovereignty by signing a deal with the United Arab Emirates to develop a port and a military base in Berbera, a strategic city on the Gulf of Aden. Somaliland also clashed with Puntland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia, over the control of disputed areas along their border.
In an attempt to revive the dialogue, Uganda’s President Museveni met with Somaliland’s special envoy Jama Musse Jama on September 24 and said he was willing to act as a “unification mediator” between Somalia and Somaliland. He also urged them to “do away with politics of identity” and focus on their common interests.
However, Somaliland’s government issued a statement on September 25, saying that it has no plans to discuss unification with Somalia and that any dialogue will only address how to move forward separately. It also said that it had no intention of changing its identity or status as an independent country.
Somalia’s government has not commented on Museveni’s offer or Somaliland’s statement. However, Somalia’s position has always been that it wants to restore its unity and sovereignty over all its regions, including Somaliland.
The international community, especially the African Union and the United Nations, has been supporting the efforts to restart the talks between Somalia and Somaliland, hoping that they can reach a peaceful and mutually acceptable solution. However, the prospects for such a dialogue remain uncertain, as both sides seem to have irreconcilable views on their political future.
Despite the challenges, some analysts believe there is room for cooperation and compromise between Somalia and Somaliland, especially on security, trade, and humanitarian assistance. They also suggest that the two sides use confidence-building measures and people-to-people contacts to foster trust and understanding.
Source: Reuters
