By: Yusuf M Hasan
Addis Ababa (Somalilandsun) – any cross-border acts that might negatively impinge on the internal security within Somaliland and Ethiopia shall not be endured silently
This results from a high level security meeting between a Somaliland team led by interior minister Mohamed Ali Waran’ade and Ethiopian counterparts in Addis Ababa.
According to a statement released by the Addis Ababa based Somaliland representative Ayanle Salat Diriye the Waran’ade team that was transiting from duties in Kenya included the national intelligence chief Jama Mohamed Botan and others held the Addis Ababa discussions with an Ethiopian team led by Ethiopian federal government’s interior minister Dr. Shiferaw Teklemariam and Defence forces Chief of staff General Samora Yenus as well as Addis Ababa Mayor Kuma Demska.
On the objective the roundtables “The pre-arranged meeting had the intent of the meeting was part of implementing the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two neighbouring countries as pertains to security, cross-border trade, and diplomatic relations among others” read the statement.
Having agreed on the importance of internal and ext5ernal security the two sides committed to jointly ensure the deterrence of activities that encroach on such relevant agencies in both Hargiesa and Addis Ababa
Prior to arrival in Ethiopia the Waran’ade team had been in Nairobi where reports indicate they met with security chiefs within the Kenyan government and those based at the local embassies of the United States and Great Britain among others.
Coincidentally or not the Waran’ade team was in Addis Ababa together with a similar one led by his foreign affairs counterpart Mohamed Behi Younis and national defence forces chief of staff General Ismail Mohamed Shakale whose overt absence at the meeting were conspicuous.
Though shrouded in mystery the dispatch of the Behi and Shakale duo to the neighbouring capital had come at a time when allegations were rife in Hargeisa that a renegade traditional leader from Awdal region Sultan Abibakar Elmi Wabari is amassing clan militias along the Ethiopian border with Somaliland.
While not stated so, it is apparent that the Sultan Abibakar issue which the Ethiopian government though then unaware of but had promised to act upon if requested was main menu at the Addis meet.
Though the Ethio-SL security cooperation on top of the one with Washington and London has prevailed for decades the now very covertly-overtly links with Kenya is not only of great import to Hargeisa but an acknowledgment of the Security clout Somaliland holds within the region as well.
Despite being a regional political and economic giant Kenya which is currently feeling the repercussions of battling Al-Shabaab militants within and in Somalia is in need of good friends who are knowledgeable in dissuading and keeping at bay terrorist activities based on apt human intelligence gathering like Somaliland.
Similarly Somaliland whose quest for international recognition as a sovereign country has remained elusive since withdrawing from its 1960 voluntary later turned fateful union with Italia-Somalia 23 years ago is in dire need of useful friend like Keya whose Diplomatic, political and economic clout within regional (Africa) and internationally circles is unquestionable.
Hopefully for Somalilanders the regional cooperation shall at last move from the discussing to implementation levels.
