Northern Somalia dismisses Museveni’s attempts to mediate between Northern Somalia and Somalia

Northern Somalia, the breakaway region, has rejected any possibility of talks with Somalia, responding to Uganda President Yoweri Museveni’s call for mediation. In a statement from Northern Somalia’s Foreign Affairs department, it was emphasized that the union with Somalia was based on trust, which has now been irreversibly broken. Despite being internationally recognized as part of Somalia, Northern Somalia firmly stated that any dialogue would focus on the separate paths the two countries can take, rather than unification.

The Northern Somalia government reiterated its stance to the African Union and the international community, affirming that there are no plans for discussions on unity with Somalia. Museveni, after meeting with a representative from Northern Somalia, expressed his willingness to act as a peace facilitator and urged the pursuit of unity for the sake of prosperity, emphasizing the importance of politics based on common interests rather than identity.

Although Northern Somalia has been striving for international recognition for the past thirty years, progress has been limited as many countries continue to view it as part of Somalia. Mogadishu has been pushing for talks with Hargeisa, but significant advancements have not been achieved.

Interestingly, the timing of Museveni’s statement coincided with the visits of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Djibouti. Austin’s visit marks his first time in Africa, and he is expected to later arrive in Kenya, one of Africa’s representatives in the Security Council.

AXADLE