Somalilandsun: The Somaliland government has acknowledged a change on the country’s quest for recognition within the International community.
This was stated by Foreign minister Prof. Yasin Haji Mahmud Hiir ‘Faraton’, during an interview with Geeska Afrika in Hargeisa where he also expressed the government’s delight on news that the Kenyan Cabinet is debating the recognition of Somaliland.
“While we have good relations with a number of countries whose foreign policies we respect, news that the government of Kenya is rethinking its position on the recognition of our country is of importance since we have maintained multifaceted relations with the neighbouring East African Country” said Prof Faraton
Adding that the long term relations with Kenya has eased with close cooperation in terms of trade not to mention the large number of skilled Kenyans working in diverse sectors all over Somaliland, the foreign minister said regular exchange of official delegations has strengthened cooperation.
“The people and government of Somaliland welcome the rethink on recognition, from not only our neighbors Kenya but rest of the world as well which is witness our nationhood and statehood” said Prof Faraton while stressing that the recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty is a right
The minister was reacting to recent media reports to the fact that administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta has established a committee that will carefully study the merits and demerits of recognizing Somaliland as a sovereign nation.
Accordingly the technical committee was established following discussions by the cabinet chaired by president Uhuru in July this as pertains to the formal recognition of Somaliland.
At the same time and leading a top level delegation the Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi is reportedly set for a visit to Nairobi, where he is slated to meet with senior government officials though it remains to be ascertained whether a meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta is in the itinerary.
The news from Nairobi came in the heels of heightened international diplomatic moves by the administration of president Muse Bihi Abdi that arose after a pact between Somaliland and Taiwan became effective.
But prior to revelation of the Taiwanese deal the Somaliland quest for international recognition as a sovereign nation had basked in the limelight during the Djibouti Consultative summit on its relations with Somalia, whose participants included the host president, PM of Ethiopia, envoys from the US and other western countries with a stake in the horn region as well as representatives from the IGAD and the African Union
After the diplomatic success with Taiwan in which Taipei and Hargeisa are to establish corresponding representative offices, next were Egyptians who after having failed in its Somalia cooperation policy came trooping ostensibly in quest of a military base in Berbera.
Most of import is Ethiopia the long term friend of Somaliland which continuously exchanges high level government delegations to discuss and cement numerous MOUs pertaining to Trade, Security, and Education and cross border movement among many others.
As for the Kenyan move its fingers crossed in Somaliland
