Somalilandsun: Agreement entered between Somaliland and Somalia negotiators to meet again lin Djibouti after a fortnight have come to nought.
According to our sources the postponement was as a result of request for a seven days extension made by the Mogadishu based federal government Somalila-FGS
The now aborted meet was agreed upon during a two days high level Consultative Summit on relations between Somaliland and Somalia.
Hosted in Djibouti by President Ismail Omar Gelle a fortnight ago the consultative summit whose main intent was to revive stalled talks between the two formerly united countries had a high level participation.
Apart from the host president and the main principals Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Farmajo his Somalia counterpart others in attendance were the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, US envoy to Somalia Amb. Donald Yamamoto including AU and IGAD representatives among others.
The international sanctioned Talks geared towards resolving political differences between the two formerly united countries have in the past failed mainly because of a single major difference in addition to the FGS failing to implement any agreements reached.
The major bone of contention between negotiators is that Somalia says the talks are in pursuit of reunification while the Somaliland stance is that its sovereignty is a foregone conclusion thence irrevocable and therefor not for negotiation.
Despite the presence of the assembled regional heavyweights the summit saw the same divergent reappear.
In his opening remarks President Muse Bihi was categoric that talks with Somalia can only continue and succeed so long as they are held on the premise of two independent countries.
For Somalia’s President Farmajo the talks are geared towards reinstating the supremacy of Somali people in the region.
This stark contrast was evident during committee negotiations that were only saved by Djibouti after Somaliland and Somalia negotiators disagreed on matters related to international funding.
Now that talks have failed to resume after a fortnight as agreed it fingers crossed for the President Gelle attempt
