By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
NAIROBI (Somalilandsun) – a joint security cooperation meeting Somaliland and the Somalia regional administration of Puntland in Nairobi has ended in an anti-terror pact.
This unprecedented meeting and subsequent pact between the two entities with the objective to battle terrorism, piracy and organized crime collaboratively came after the private Nairobi meeting, where the agenda was the how to share intelligence thus help eliminate terrorism, piracy and organized crime in the region.
High ranking officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Security, Ministry of Interior and National Security agencies represented Somaliland while the Somalia region of Puntland was represented by officials from the enclave’s Intelligence Agency, Ministry of Security and Ministry of Interior.
Under the hawk-eyed shepherding of British, Swedish and American diplomats the two sides agreed to actively share intelligence on Al Shabaab agents operating in their respective countries and around the shared common border in addition to assess suspected Al Shabaab agents in the custody of either for interrogation.
While the main focus of discussions was the war on Terrorism that is increasingly engulfing the two neighbours from the on-the-run the Al-shabaab the anti-terrorism pact agreement is reported to have also provided for cooperation in the combat on piracy and organized crime which are other menaces the share in common.
The unprecedented nature of this pact between the two hitherto arch-enemies which is as a result of Puntland laying claim to parts of Somaliland’s eastern regions of Sanaag and sool ensued earlier this month after Somaliland handed over to Puntland a man accused of assassinating a prominent religious leader in Garowe last month.
