Public statement on the outcome of the Somaliland/Somalia talks in Turkey on 13 April by the Press Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Republic of Somaliland
Somalilandsun – On 13 April, Presidents Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met in Ankara to resume the Somaliland/Somalia Dialogue that was initiated at the London Conference in February 2012 and endorsed at presidential level in Dubai in June 2012.
The Somaliland Government is grateful to the Government of Turkey for facilitating the talks. The meeting achieved its aim of re-launching the Dialogue after the change of government in Mogadishu. The parties committed themselves to continuing their Dialogue, and endorsed the agreements reached in Chevening and Dubai in June 2012.
The Government of Somaliland welcomes the commitment of the government in Mogadishu to the continuation of the Somaliland-Somalia dialogue.
The Somali Government has agreed to encourage international aid and development for Somaliland. Somaliland will of course continue to engage directly with the donor community on its own development needs, including through direct contact with diplomatic and other interlocutors in Hargeisa.
Cooperation on security was an important part of the discussion. Somaliland believes that sharing intelligence and training will help the security forces of both countries to fight the scourge of terrorism, jihadism and piracy, and to address illegal fishing, toxic waste dumping, and maritime and serious crime, which have a detrimental impact on the lives of the people in the Horn of Africa. Somaliland hopes that in the future, the Dialogue can widen its focus beyond security issues to examine trade and investment as well.
In addition, the dialogue is mandated to clarify the relations between the two countr ies, in line with the Final Communiqué of the London Conference on Somalia. Somaliland’s view is that the dialogue’s initial phase should focus on issues of practical cooperation, and to building trust between the parties before addressing the more fundamental issue of the two countries’ sovereign relations.
Somaliland looks forward to the next round of talks, due to be held in Istanbul within 90 days.
Press Office
Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation
Hargeisa, Republic of Somaliland
17 June 2013
