Home Somaliland First phase of Somaliland-Khatumo talks successfully concluded in Addis Ababa (Photos, Video)

Somaliland

First phase of Somaliland-Khatumo talks successfully concluded in Addis Ababa (Photos, Video)

December 21, 2016

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The first phase of talks for the Republic of Somaliland and Khatumo officials have been successfully concluded in Addis Ababa, today.

The talks followed initial contacts the two sides made in Addis Ababa and Dubai, resulting in the talks formally starting on the 17th at the Ethiopian capital.

At the end of the talks, today, an eleven-point communique’ was released. The last four points, specifically, intimate that 75-85% of the differences between the two sides had been weeded out for good.

The Communique’ read:

All differences must be settled through dialogue and negotiation at all times
All incendiary propaganda against one another must immediately cease
The two sides must not permit any third hand to adversely affect the talks in progress
That the two sides cooperate on settling issues relating to blood (loss of life) and culture
Strengthening peace and stability be a responsibility
Somaliland forces in the Sool and Buuhoodle areas be re-arranged depending on prevailing security issues on the ground
No fresh clan militias to be conscripted
Integrated civic and development programs covering the political, economic, administrative, social affairs and security be provided (to areas not enjoying them already)
That both sides cooperate on significant development programs in hitherto marginalized areas
The two sides cooperate how drought relief is to be delivered to affected populations
That UN and international organizations are encouraged to deliver meaningful programs in the regions on which a ban was imposed/in effect, previously

During the talks, a number of high-ranking officials representing the AU, the International community, and the Ethiopian government made visits to the venue of the talks to encourage and congratulate the high-level, productive talks in progress. The honorable officials attended the final session of the talks commending the envoys on an initiative sincerely followed through.

Khatumo shares the rest of the Republic of Somaliland in intertwined geographical and historical heritage as both fall within the boundaries of the former British Somaliland Protectorate. Khatumo people drifted off from the rest of the republic they formed with the rest of the Somaliland clans in Burao, 1991, particularly, when the neighboring regional state of Puntland was formed in 1998. Puntland claimed sovereignty over large areas in Sool, Buuhoodle and Sanaag citing clan affinity to derail the restoration of independence for the whole of Somaliland from a failed Somali Republic as proclaimed in the Burao Conference.

The Khatumo talks have been warmly welcomed all over Somaliland as they do not only bring strife, skirmishes, and mistrust to an end, but for providing the people in those areas a long-awaited opportunity to merge into the rest of the country, and in providing an opportunity for impactful development opportunities.

The Somaliland-Khatumo talks embody a spirit of cooperation and solidarity in Somaliland that positively impacts on regional security as a whole.