A request by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to visit the capital city of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, Hargeisa, while accompanied by Somalia’s president is facing strong headwinds, the East African newspaper reports.
The proposed visit was part of Mr Abiy’s effort to thaw relations between Somalia and Somaliland, the newspaper reports.
Since Somalia’s civil war and the collapse of government in 1991, Somaliland has been a self-declared independent state and has its own democratically elected government.
However, it is not officially recognised by any country or international organisation.
Mr Abiy earlier this month hosted a meeting between Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmajo” and Somaliland’s Muse Bihi Abdi in his office after the Africa Union Summit.
This resulted in President Mohamed apologising to Somaliland for the atrocities committed in the 1980s.
Mr Abdi accepted Mr Mohamed’s apology, but is quoted as telling local parliamentarians that the request for a visit was “just ridiculous”.
Somaliland’s deputy minister Liban Yousuf Osman is quoted as saying; “Farmaajo’s visit to The Republic of Somaliland is absolutely a day dream and mission impossible.”
Source: Fiilafmonline/BBC
