The president of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Musa Bihi Abdi, Sunday, addressed a joint session of the country’s bi-cameral House.
He delivered his yearly, state address to a packed floor.
President Bihi touched on many areas critical to the economy, politics, security, infrastructure and social welfare of the nation he led.
The president reiterated that Somaliland will continue to play a pivotal role in the region’s stability, economic development, and social integration in view to attain common objectives shared with other regional leaders.
The president pointed out that his country’s place in regional development and security cannot be underestimated.
“Anybody who downplays the critical role Somaliland can play on regional initiatives compromises their success,” he said.
“in the eyes of the world, Somaliland has reached a point in time where its rightful position alongside other nations in the world can no longer be overlooked,” he said.
Somaliland, he said, has the full support of friendly nations, academicians, lobby groups and a wide mix of consultants and has now a strategic plan in place.
“In regard to the slated talks with Somalia, we have communicated with Turkey that Somaliland wished to see a more international presence at the negotiating table,” he said.
The President pointed out that Turkey has hosted about seven meetings between the two countries, an that whilst Somaliland appreciated that country continued efforts, it was obvious, too, that nothing tangible had come out of those meetings, either.
“Both Sweden and Switzerland have expressed an interest in hosting the upcoming rounds of talks. We have accepted both. We are comfortable with both of them,” the president voiced.
The President confirmed again that his country was ready to give another chance to the talks but that, on the same tone, the futility of continuing a fruitless venture was there for all to see.
“Most of the world is now of the opinion that now is the time to effect a political separation between Somaliland and Somalia. We have – as a government – always adopted the view that differences be solved in a peaceful, dialogue-based manner. We have avoided everything that could kindle hostilities or create discord,” he said, implying, perhaps – as he said before time and again, that Somalia did not necessarily share the same sentiment.
Plans that have been explored during the past few months to bring the leaders of the two countries together for preliminary get-togethers have ended in failure. Ethiopia, Djibouti and the AU tried and failed with observers blaming Mogadishu for opting out at last moment thus becoming a multiple-defaulter that cannot be relied on to sincerely uphold time-tables and road maps on dialogue.
