Somalilandsun: As the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union ‘kicked of the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, citizens of Somaliland and Somalia were apprehensive.
The apprehension in both Mogadishu and Hargeisa did not pertain to the agenda of the assembled African heads of state and government’s but a suspected meet, first in two years between president Muse Behi of Somaliland and his Somalia counterpart Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo.
The two presidents who do not see eye to eye as relates the issue of Somaliland sovereignty have never met since Muse Behi ascended to the presidency in 2019.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo arrived in Addis Ababa who upon arrival in the Ethiopian capital last weekend had a very fruitful attendance at the 33rd African Union Summit, saw him deliver a major speech in addition to meets with visiting Canadian PM and others.
While the Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi arrival on Sunday who was similarly received at the Bole International Airport by Ethiopian state minister for foreign affairs Dr Akilu Haile Michael did not get his Somali counterparts limelight but sources indicate that much networking took place in the summits sidelines.
After all the clamour had simmered down the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed hosted the first ever meet between the two visiting presidents of which the Ethiopian Nobel peace lauret termed as very healthy security wise and politically for the Horn of Africa.
While details of the fourty minutes meet between Presidents Behi and Farmajo haven’t been made public by either host Ethiopia or the Somaliland and Somalia authorities sources close to the presidency in Hargeisa revealed that discussions mostly dwelt on avenues to revive stalled and internationally sanctioned talks between Mogadishu and Hargeisa.
This meet is a big plus to the Abiy Ahmed quest for harmony within Horn Africa countries termed the most turbulent region.
As for the face to face meet between Behi and Farmajo only subsequent relation impetus shall uncouth goodwill created considering past acrimonious made publicly by both heads of state.
The bone of contention. Here is the fact that Somaliland which withdrew from its 1960 voluntary later turned fateful Union with Somalia in 1991, recognises itself as a sovereign nation while authorities in Mogadishu continue to allude to Somaliland as its Northwest region.
Similarly issues pertaining to Somalia roughshodding Somaliland in relation to access to international humanitarian and developmental funding in which Hargeisa wants direct delivery while Mogadishu wants to retain right of disbursement as it does to its five regional administration’s is a major obstacle to harmony.
Now is it coincidence that President Behi who was not officially invited to the AU summit since his country is not recognised by the regional in Abody wasddis Ababa at the same with the officially invited Farmajo whose federal government represents Somaliland in all international forums.
Or was the visit of President Behi orchestrated by the politically cunning Ethiopian Premiere in whose office the two held their first Meet
Without belittling the Horn of Africa peace efforts and initiatives of PM Abiy Ahmed the invitation for President Behi to visit Addis Ababa during an AU summit in which he could not participate in is a little bit suspicious thence a big let down for the Somaliland head of state
Considering the no nonsense with Somalia business approach taken by Somaliland authorities SINCE Behi took office two years ago, one would not be wrong to wonder whether PM Abiy forced the Somaliland President to KOWTOW
