Somalilandsun: The new diplomatic approach being pursued by the administration of president Muse Bihi Abdi has ensued in a huff that sees friends and foe battle for supremacy in Somaliland the country all are yet to recognize formally.
Currently the foreign minister of Somaliland Prof Yasin Mahmud Faraton is in Turkey where he is parleying his counterparts in Ankara.
In Hargeisa the Chinese envoy to Somalia Ambassador Qin Jian is on a stay now in its third day that remains shrouded in secrecy though various sources indicate that he has so far met with the president.
Similarly the visit ti Ankara by FM Faraton is also shrouded in secrecy with sources indicating that the visit is upon invitation by Turkish authorities who are aghast at not being invited to the Djibouti hosted Consultative Summit on relations between Somaliland and Somalia.
Since the international community sanctioned dialogue between the two formally united countries during the 2012 London conference on Somalia, Turkey has been the main host of the talks.
During the Djibouti summit which had a broad international participation including the Prime minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, US envoy to Somalia Donald Yamamoto, Senior African Union and IGAD Representatives as well as numerous other diplomats from countries with a stake in the Horn of Africa region, the Turkish absence was very conspicuous.
To many somalilanders the stalled talks between the two countries which president Gelleh of Djibouti is trying to resuscitate is as a result of perpetual renegading on agreements by Somalia with the Tacit of authorities in Ankara.
Despite its pursuit of mediation Turkey’s overt policy of reuniting Somalia and Somaliland makes any tangible outcome difficult, since stance by Somaliland is that its sovereignty is not only irrevocable but not for negotiations as well.
Having been locked out if the high level Somaliland and Somalia summit in Djibouti it now remains to seen what the ongoing visit by PM Faraton will breed in Ankara.
As for Chinese envoy ensconced in Hargeisa the only motive is to disrupt the recent agreement to establish official diplomatic channels between Taiwan and Somaliland.
This is the third diplomatic foray by Beijing to this country in a similar period of months.
From the onset of diplomatic overtures between Taipei and Hargeisa the Chinese never hid there resentments since it considers Taiwan as part of their country thus come closer with Somalia as pertains finding means to mar the deal.
immediately upon announcement of the formal relations between Taiwan and Somaliland, an urgent Amb Jian and President Farmajo meeting was conveyed in Mogadishu.
With Somalia also alluding to Somaliland as its north west region , the duo reaffirmed their countries unanimous commitment on the imperatives of having Somalia and china Territorial integrity remain intact.
“There is only one China and one Somalia” Amb Jain and president Farmajo concurred
Now that the Taipei and Hargeisa deal is a foregone conclusion with both having appointed respective diplomatic representatives sources indicate that Amb Qin Jian’s prolonged stay in Hargeisa is connected to arrangements for a visit by high powered delegation from Beijing.
Apart from China and Turkey other countries in post Taiwan relations diplomatic forays to Somaliland include Egyptand Ethiopia.
