Reveals the Somaliland head of state upon return from a working visit to Addis Ababa whose success were briefed by presidency minister Hirsi Haji Ali
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – “My meeting with the Prime Minister Desalegn Hailemariam of Ethiopia was concluded with unanimous concurrence on imperatives of enhanced cooperation”
This was stated by President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo during a press briefing at the Egal Airport VIP lounge upon return from Ethiopia where he led a government team on a 2 days official working visit to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Revealing that meetings with his host PM Desalegn were undertaken in a cordial atmosphere with candid discussions related to prevalent status of bi-lateral relations between the two neighbouring countries the Somaliland heads of state said “We concluded with commitment to not only sustain but enhance security, trade and cross border movements among many”
The presidential entourage to Ethiopia included the first lady Amina Mohamed Sh Jirde ‘Amina Weris” the ministers of Foreign affairs, Interior and Presidency Mohamed Behi Younis, Mohamed Ali Waran’ade and Hirsi Haji Ali respectively as well as private secretary to the president Ali Mohamed.
In an elaborated briefing of the tour posted in his facebook page the presidency minister Hirsi Haji Ali informed that the meeting in Addis Ababa which was as a result of an official invitation from the Ethiopian Prime minister pertained to strengthening bi-lateral relations between the two nieghbouring and friendly countries.
Quote- Thanks to Allah the Somaliland delegation to Ethiopia led by President Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo has returned to the country safely after two days absence upon official invitation from the prime minister of Ethiopia Desalegn Hailemariam.
Flanked by accompanying team of ministers’ president Silanyo, who briefed on prevalent status in the country, engaged his host on issues pertaining to sectors Ethiopia cooperates in with Somaliland among them Trade, Security and multi-sectored Development.
The Ethiopian team at our meeting led by PM Desalegn stressed on the importance the federal government of the neighbouring countries attaches to its bilateral cooperation with Somaliland not to mention the important part played by the Hargeisa administration in securing cross-border security between the two as well as in the wider Horn region while acknowledging successful democratization sustained locally.
The two sides concluded discussions with unanimous concurrence on the imperatives of not only sustaining existing multi-sectored partnership but its strengthening as well. Unquote
For Somaliland cooperation with Ethiopia on various fronts has been robust for years not to mention that the neighbouring country was the first to second a resident consular General to Hargeisa despite the non-recognition of the country as an independent and sovereign state internationally.
Recently a high level Ethiopian delegation comprising of ministers, deputy ministers, director generals and other senior government officials on a working visit to the country saw them engage local officials in discussions on the status of existing trade, investment and infrastructure cooperation and ways of further consolidating them.
The delegation led by Minister of Finance and Economic Development, H.E Ato Sufian Ahmed also made site visits to see the status of the Berbera port, the roads linking Ethiopia to parts of Somaliland including Berbera as well as the capabilities for Somaliland fuel storage facilities.
In conclusion of the visit the two sides signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) geared towards Enhancement of Economic interdependence and named a fourteen member joint “Ministerial Commission” which comprises seven ministers from each side to manage implementation of the MoU.
