Heedless of the fact that the Republic of Somaliland is not a federal state under Mogadishu’s jurisdiction, Somalia wrote to international partners objecting their special arrangement with Somaliland in regard to development aid and partners’ support of democratization, security, enhancement of economy, good governance and the like.
The FGS Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development, Gamal Mohamed Hassan, argues that, if such an arrangement, started in 2013, is continued with ‘member states’ or any individual ‘region’, that would have a “serious impact on the efforts to deepen federalism and nation-building in Somalia”, implying that Somaliland was, in fact, a member of the Somalia federal system.
The minister continues to say that any “considerations would be based on agreed frameworks, aligned with the national priorities as stipulated in the National Development Plan and should contribute positively to the unity and cohesion of the Somali people and state“.
This very bold approach on the internationally-propped, weak government of Somalia in Mogadishu is nothing but another manifestation of a make-believe authority that Villa Somalia harbors over the 27-year-old Republic of Somaliland.
It was this Mr. Gamal, himself, who is accused of starting the bloody armed confrontation between Somalia’s Puntland state and Somalia by visiting Sanag of Somaliland as a Federal Somalia minister – the first in over 30 years. The visit aimed to pave the way for an eventual visit of President Farmajo in Sool and Sanag areas at the head of which Tukkaraq, the present battleground between the two sides, was chalked.
International partners have two options only: (a) to continue humoring Farmajo and his non-existent Somalia government in the belief that Mogadishu hosts a central government that includes Somaliland, or (b) tell Villa Somalia the truth: Somaliland is not your responsibility and would be treated as such. Period.
In any case, Somaliland has to take legally concrete steps to demand international recognition in order (a) to wriggle out from Somalia re-domination for good, and (b) to reclaim what is legally its diplomatically, economically and legally on all spheres which Somalia has unlawfully sequestered for itself since the ill-fated union of 1960.
Successfully taking over the sole management of Somaliland-Somalia airspace, Somalia will certainly pick up momentum to bag in more victories over Somaliland in order to shore up its waning popularity and save what remains of its playact in governance.
Find a copy of FGS Letter here: Renewal of the Somaliland Special Agreement
