Mogadishu the loser on cutting ‘ties’ with Guinea – Somaliland FM

Professor Yassin Haji Mohamoud Hiir ‘Faratoon’, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Somaliland, laughed off any impact Somalia cutting off ties with Guinea will have on either Somaliland or Guinea, itself.

“The Xamar (Mogadishu) administration is the one in dire need of help. It is the one that needs to keep in the good books of other countries such as Guinea. Guinea has no need of it,” Professor Hiir, who is with him with President Musa Bihi on his state visit to Guinea, said responding to Thursday’s outburst from Mogadishu.

“That administration is the one which is guarded by Africa. Its leaders’ homes are secured by troops from all over Africa and the world. It is the one whose administration is bankrolled, supported and nurtured by the international community. It needs people and other nations, not vice versa,” the FM said.

“The Mogadishu administration is a past master only in creating more hostilities, in widening the political, social chasm between the two nations (Somaliland/Somalia), and futile attempts to isolate the Republic of Somaliland,” he said.

Professor stated that Somaliland has yet to register anything positive or forward-looking on the Somalia side.

“Somalia tried to block developmental cooperation with international partners. It tried and took steps to unilaterally take over the joint airspace management so to impose aviation-related sanctions on Somaliland. It has made so many attempts to compromise the coexistence and relative peace people on either side of the border enjoyed before the incumbent regime came to power. It has made a habit of protesting to every step forward that Somaliland takes in the make-belief that it can dictate it or control it – which it has neither the power nor the jurisdiction to do,” Professor Hiir stated.

Thus far, he added, Somaliland is determined to observe good neighbourliness avoiding anything – by word or action – that can adversely affect regional security and peaceful coexistence.

“As much cannot be said for Somalia. In fact,” he said, “it is bent on overturning the status quo on every turn”.

Presidents and Vice Presidents of Somaliland have, in the past, visited other countries and were received for who they were: Ethiopia, Turkey, Djibouti, Senegal, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Djibouti, etc.

“It appears that Mogadishu was not aware of that. Somaliland will continue relating with other nations, other partners as it sees it. Mogadishu can do nothing about it,” he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs further elaborated on Somaliland’s official position on Somaliland-Somalia relations, regional stability, establishing connections with the international community and in avoiding negative reverberations which can adversely tip balances, showing a maturity that Somalia so conspicuously lacks.

The Foreign Minister, speaking of the talks his side held with the Guinean government, revealed that the Somaliland delegation had a packed schedule of meetings since it arrived in Conakry Wednesday.

We received brotherly and generous reception from the Government of Republic of Guinea after the country’s top diplomat – the Foreign Minister, Hon. Mamadi Touré, warmly welcomed our delegation at the airport.

“The two presidents have met. Discussions centred on forging closer relations between the two countries; and our arrival has made that possible much more significant, much more cemented than it was before,” the FM said.

Minister Faratoon profusely thanked the government and people of Guinea for the warm, fruitful reception they have accorded the Somaliland delegation. Likewise, he expressed gratitude to the people of Somaliland for the full support given to the delegation on this visit and in dispensing their duties.

Minister Faratoon singled out Awdal region for the region’s quick, positive reaction to the Guinean visit.

Somalia insists that the Republic of Somaliland is a ‘region’ that comes under it despite the fact that the latter is an established African democracy. Somaliland has, since 1991, has become a better-governed entity which had shown the world how one can rise from the ashes of a decade-long war with a dictator and construct a modern state – a reality that has evaded the Mogadishu administration during the past 28 years.