Somalia: Bihi lands in Ethiopia as UN welcomes Mogadishu talks with Hargeisa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi landed in Addis Ababa on Sunday just days after a meeting in Djibouti, which initiated talks between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, in what could trigger stability in the region.

Bihi has been closely working with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the man behind spirited talks geared towards restoring unity and peace between Somalia and Somaliland, whose strained relationship has dwarfed development in the country.

Without giving details, Bihi traveled to Ethiopia but there are undertones that he could be having a meeting with Abiy Ahmed. Abiy Ahmed was the man behind the revival of the talks between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, which collapsed a few years ago.

On Sunday, the United Nations welcomed talks between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, noting that it was a positive step towards restoring harmony and peace between the two sides which have been at loggerheads for three decades.

"UN welcomes recent talks between President of the Federal Government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and President of "Somaliland" Muse Biihi, hosted by Djibouti’s President Ismail Oguelleh," the United Nations said in a tweet on X.

According to the UN, the talks "resulted in a communique paving the way for the resumption of dialogue between Mogadishu and Hargeisa". The UN has been a major supporter of Somalia's stability, initiating some projects across the country.

Somaliland claims it broke away from Somalia in 1991 after Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre, the military dictator was overthrown. Somalia is also fighting al-Shabaab menace which has affected the country for the last 16 years.

GAROWE ONLINE