Mecca-KSA, Aug 13 (Somaliland.com):- On what could aptly be described as a rare occurrence, the president of the Republic of Somaliland Mr. Muse Bihi Abdi and some members of the Somalia Federal cabinet held an unofficial meeting in Mina while performing Hajj activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last night.
On the Somaliland’s side were President Muse Bihi, the Interior Minister Mr Mohamed Kahin, and other cabinet members while the Somalia Federal Government’s side had the Foreign Minister Ahmed Issa Awad, Finance Minister Dr. Abdirahman Duale Beileh, Minister of Fisheries Abdullahi Bootaan, and the State Minister in the office of the Prime Minister Mr. Abdullahi Hamud in attendance.
Somaliland and Somali officials who have been performing Hajj gathered to greet each other and celebrate this brotherly encounter between the two sides.
State Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office of Somalia, Abdullahi Hamud posted a brief message on his Facebook page blessing the meeting and mentioned that it was an honour to meet with the President of Somaliland:
It was an honor to have dinner with Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Mohamed Kahin, Minister of Interior. President Bihi is an experienced man, who greatly values our brotherhood.
By the grace of these blessed days, and for this blessed land, make our meeting a blessed one.
‘The people of Somalia want lasting peace and reconciliation,’ began Abdirahman Duale Beileh, the Minister of Finance who was part of Somali ministers at Hajj. Mr. Beileh, in a brief post, on his private Twitter account, pointed out that there are no boundaries between Somalis. In his words:
The Somali people are yearning for lasting peace and reconciliation. This is the message from all Hajis at the Haram, without an exception. The time is right now. Let us all commit ourselves to a final push for true and meaningful reconciliation. This is the message from the Hajj!
The meeting took place amidst political tensions between Somalia and Somaliland in recent times. Albeit the event was neither a political forum nor a planned one, strong rhetoric resulted in its being attached to politics, as there are differences in opinions.
The meeting has sparked mixed reactions from the citizens of both countries who made comments expressing their views.
Somaliland citizens differed in their views as some of them described an unofficial meeting in the sacred days of Eid in Mecca and not concerning any political agenda. While some other Somalilanders questions the intentions behind the covet meeting the President Muse Bihi and Somalia ministers and stamped it as treason. Somalia citizens welcomed the encounter called it a new beginning for talks between Somaliland and Somalia.
This informal meeting sparked social media frenzy and here are some posts:-
Navigating Through Turbulence: The Role of Somalia’s Foreign Ministry in Shaping Future Relations with Somaliland.By: Abdi Jama In the nuanced.
A Vision for Change: Dr. Abdirahman Irro’s Blueprint for Somaliland’s FutureDr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, a.
Past, Present, and Future of Somaliland: A Nation at the CrossroadsThe story of Somaliland is marked.
The High Cost of Non-Visionary Leadership: Analyzing Somaliland under President Colonel Muse BihiBy: Abdi Jama In the intricate.