Somalia’s President reaffirms his commitment to resume talks with Somaliland

The President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to resume talks with Somaliland after he held meetings with Turkey and Norway representatives in Mogadishu.

In a Villa Somalia statement, the President acknowledged the role Turkey and Norway had played in the previous talks which he believes was the good start for the two sides to come to the negotiation table together.

According to Villa Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud extended gratitude to the Turkey and Norway governments for their efforts to revive talks between Somaliland and Somalia. Underlining his national plan “Somalia at peace with itself and the World,” that includes addressing the decades-long Somaliland issue.

The decade-long Somaliland and Somalia talks have been ongoing since 2012 and a series of high-level talks between the two countries have been held in Ankara, London, and Djibouti with various state and international bodies as mediators and observers.

However, earlier this year, the Somaliland government officially suspended talks with Somalia. The foreign affairs minister of Somaliland Esse Kayd stated the lack of seriousness on the part of Somalia as the reason for abandoning what he called the 10 year long fruitless talks with Somalia.