Africa
IN PICTURES: Somaliland and Somalia meeting
June 28, 2012 · 22 Comments
DUBAI — The presidents of Somalia and Somaliland have agreed to continue talks on Thursday in Dubai where the two leaders signed the Dubai Statement paving the way for mutual relationship.
This is the first breakthrough in more than twenty years between the two feuding neighbours. Somaliland has been striving for international recognition since 1991 and maintains its independence will not be compromised.
“This is a breakthrough and we are happy that our brothers in the north want to speak and negotiate,” Mr Ahmed, TFG president, said.
The TFG, whose mandate expires in less than 60 days, claims Somaliland is one of its regions that will make up future federation.
Somaliland President has equally welcomed the development saying “this will help for peace in the region as a whole, it will help in the fight against piracy and terrorism.”
The Dubai meeting and its statement follows preparatory talks in Chevening House on 20-21 June that was co-hosted by the UK government, EU and Norway at the request of Somali leaders.
The Dubai statement paves the way for the first formal talks between the two sides with the aim of clarifying their relationship. The UK government has pledged its full support for the dialogue which was reechoed by other leading states including the UAE.
“The UAE is very aware that you cannot overcome many years of pain overnight, therefore we are witnessing a historic moment where the two presidents meet and sign this agreement to negotiations,” said Anwar Mohammad Gargash, the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The Somali public on both side have welcomed the first ever meeting between the two Presidents. In Mogadishu residents have said “this is a victory for all Somali people, we hope the others can follow suit.”
The Somaliland delegation also includes the two opposition leaders Faisal Ali Warabe of UCID and former President Dahir Rayale Kahin of UDUB and the foreign minister Dr Abdullahi Mohamed Omar.
Somalilandpress
June 28, 2012
Follow @somalilandpressTags: Chevening Declaration, Dubai, Somalia, Somaliland news, Statement
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Obviously some people think I am against everything. It's not my fault everything Silanyo has done thus far has been horrible. I certainly welcome this development and is indeed the best thing Silaanyo has done since replacing Dahir Riyale.
This is fantastic day for Somalia because the enemies have tried long time to build a wall between Hargeisa and Mogadishu.
I can assure you that Hargeisa does love President Sheikh Sharif and if Silanyo did extend him an invitation, the locked-down airport (Chernobyl) will come to alive and it will become like an ocean awash with BLUE and white colors.
This did not come along because of Silanyo alone but because of Sheikh Sharif. Riyale's days this would not be possible during for example Yeey's presidency. Today Yeey is gone and so is hate.
Sheikh Sharif, the former dugsi man, is clean of Somali blood thats why Hargeisa reached out to him. He must be re-elected in Somalia because he is the only hope for Hargeisa-Mogadishu dialogue and the unity of Hawiye community and eventually the unity of Somali people.
With Mogadishu settled, so will Somalia and that image will fade away. Hargeisa will rip the fruits too because the world can no longer say: "Isn't Hargeisa part of Mogadishu which is chaos?"
They will come to Hargeisa too for investment.
Sharif must be re-elected and I know the IC will support this so the dialogue can be continued with Somaliland. There is no point electing a new main who might try to reinvent the wheel. Sharif must be given the chance to complete what he started.
sorry to break your heart but somalilanders are not intrested to be in failed union with somalia again the cycle of horror would inevitably start if we unite and another 1988-91 will occur so dont try to seduce young s/landers like myself that unity is good it is a poisoned chalice fool
Your comment sometimes is contradictory Put The good Thing about it’s not ONE-SIDED. you mention The unity of haw*ye,haw*ye it’s not divided nor any other clans in somalia put everyone wants to take more Than Their share of The pie.
In any event everything has The right time place and contition,This has nothing to do with ex yeey presidents or sharif IC decided it’s The right time to support somalia and since s/land region impose it self-self isolation They have no choice put to come out from The woods.
Whether sharif re-elected or not it’s 50/50,sharif & silanyo did not decided to meet put The IC told Them to do so. so who ever replaces sharif if he’s not re-elected The dialogue will continue i don’t Think anyone can change or reinvent The wheel becuse it’s not Their invention or The pilot of The plane put IC.
@kayse
Ahmed,
That's your opinion and I respect that and the above is mine and just shows we are two people with two opinions and nothing is wrong with that at all.
I personally doubt if Abdillahi Yusuf was today the President, Somaliland would not accept the meeting regardless who is the pressure from. This is not the first time IC has pressured them nor the most difficult for them. For 21 years they have been turning everyone down.
Sheikh Sharif is approachable and is a man clean of Somalia's past history, this has a lot to do with the meeting even why the IC likes him they understand he was not part of Darood-Hawiye, Habar Gidir-Abgaal or Somaliland-Somalia beef. He was just the regular dugsi teacher so many people can accept a clean Sheikh.
kayse.
as someone said abdulahi yusuf hes was old guard including Aidid They use to call Them “my way or The high way”, i don’t Think These guys were design to negotiate.
you mention s/land turn down IC approach last 21 years,somalia was unconscious state for The last 20 years so There is no one to negoniate.
sharif he is not clean as it seems,as we know & remember when he was in charge islamic court he ordered hundreds of young people been shot aputate Their limbs in Afgoye-jowhar-mogadishu-balcad.
Faroole is in Dubai and should be invited since Caalin also is there.
Farole and Caalin were there to witness the signatory between the two Presidents but neither of them will participate directly in the talks. They are just witnesses.
muje u clearly have something against daroods.. am happy to see somali people coming together sorting thier differences but sii'lanyo doesnt represent all north somalia, and sheikh sharif knows that u wonder why he added two Harti delegation earlier talks and one gadabuursiii…
Khaatumo Citizen you seems to be too much tribalistic than Nationalistic do you know that tribelism what it has done to Somalia? I am telling you now that Tribelism is the set back of Development cant you see the area of the so called khaatomu people live how is so much underdeveloped because your people are lezzy they donot do any activity of development other than cheap politicts please wake up your still in the dark world .
jamal i am not tribilist i love my people equally but people like Muje are making my blood boil, don't worry those are developing more than ever, last 6 months we saw loads of changes including airports, schools universities, scholarships…p.s. i would reckon u should take ur advice and worry about your village.
I think Faroole is still angry so he sent someone else to represent him. No one really cares about his absence because Isaaq and Hawiye will finish their differences.
everyone was There faroole-caalin and others. The reason we don’t see faroole picture is he was interested taking picture with silanyo.
correction…reason we don’t see faroole in The picture he’s not interested taking picture with silanyo.until conflict in the north sorted out without Them nothing will go forward.
There is only one Mohammed Haji Ibrahim Egal may Allah rest his sole. All Somali politicians post his untimely death are pygmies!! Both Sharif and Silanyo look like clowns on the international stage!!!!
You never see Farole and Sheikh Sharif with those kind of smiles so no one cares if he didn't come to witness the process because at the end of the day Somalia moves forward once Mogadishu and Hargeysa agree to something and this is what the world wants to see.
Sheikh Sharif never smiles like that when he is meeting with Farole, find me a picture and I will give you $100 via Dahabshiil :)
mr joe frazer you must be The ex boxer come back from death,
reason sharif is smilling cuz it’s like seeing back your lost angry brother who left The family 21 years,and now all The neighbours told him to go back & sort out The problems.
faroole and sharif see each other weekly They are not lost brothers,somalia today totaly different compare to 21 years mogadishu and hargiesa it’s not The only cities today IC are aware That.
What was particularly poignant in this gathering was seeing two Somali presidents (and their entourage) seating next to each other without any outside interlocutors. But the big questions still remains what will the aftermath of all this back and forth meetings beget for both Somalia and Somaliland. Is Somalia going to let Somaliland go on its merry way or will Somaliland drop its delusional ideals and join Somalia one more time? Will Sheikh Sharif heroically and imaginatively pursued the rest of Somalia that it is in the best interest of Somalia to live side by side with a strong democratically elected neighboring Somali country called Somaliland instead of laser-beaming a hatred and dislike for them. Is he going to convince them this vibrant and multifaceted young country can not be merely dismissed as the child with the tantrum like the Khatumo folks.An open-ended quagmire indeed.
The whole idea of This gathering was to talk about paricy-development. sharifow or who ever take his place can’t and will not have right & The mandate to recognize any somali regions different country. The real people who oppose somalis becoming ten different country are IC.
Have peace and quit KENYA
21 YEARS AS REFUGEES IN KENYA PLEASE have please and gooo home