Djibouti plans meeting between Somalia president and breakaway region's leader

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh has planned a meeting between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Somaliland regional leader Muse Bihi Abdi in an attempt to resume stalled talks, Garowe Online learned.

A source tells Garowe Online that Guelleh, who has lately been pushing for mediation between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia reached out to both leaders and no date has been set for the start of the meeting.

Djibouti hosted a three-day meeting that brought together former Somalia president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and Bihi in June 2022.

The talks were chaired by the country's President Ismail Omar Guelleh, while Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was in attendance. No deal has been reached and since then, relations have been at a lower point.

This week, President Hassan Sheikh appointed former Galmadug President Abdikarim Hussein Guled as special envoy for Somaliland talks and his appointment was welcomed by Muse Bihi Abdi as a step forward.

Guled was picked for his experience as he led delegates engaged in dialogue with Somaliland representatives in the UK, Turkey, and other countries during the first term of Hassan Sheikh as president.

Somaliland troops have been at loggerheads with SSC-Khatumo forces for the last three months, with both parties failing to honor ceasefire calls from members of the international community. The clashes, doctors say, have left more than 200 people dead in Las Anod.

Local forces are pushing for self-governance and rejecting to remain under Somaliland after 15 years. The people of the Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn regions say they want a separate state part of greater Somalia.

It is not clear how long it will take to bring order in the contested regions but the anticipated mediation by Djibouti could break the deadlock. The SSC elders already announced they are not part of the breakaway region.

GAROWE ONLINE