Heritage Institute Denies to “have exaggerated the status of Somaliland”

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — The Director of the Mogadishu-based Heritage Institute for Policy Studies Mr Mursal Saney yesterday denied that the think tank promotes Somaliland as a seperste entity. “The theme for Heritage Institute Annual Confrence was the Somali language but the war between SSC and Somaliland forces prompted a thematic change to emphasise peace-making and reconciliation among Somalis. So we sought input from President Ismail Guelleh of Djibouti. We have been accused of promoting talks with Somaliland as a special entity [representing the North], but we have not adopted that approach” said Saney.

He described the Djibouti summit hosted by President Guelleh as genuine talks about union, “but all of sudden Somalia faced a lethal attack on its sovereignty following the maritime Memorandum of Understanding signed in Addis Ababa. The change of situation precipitates a change of terminology. We no longer call Somaliland. We call it the administration of the North West-Somaliland”.

Shortly after the Djibouti summit President of the Administration of North West-Somaliland Muse Bihi flew to Ethiopia and signed an illegal maritime Memorandum of Understanding with Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Upon return to Mogadishu the Federal Government of Somalia’s delegation celebrated Djibouti agreement as positive outcome for consolidating the union.

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