Somalia and Somaliland region agree on full cooperation on security

DJIBOUTI - Somalia's government has agreed on full security cooperation with Somaliland, a breakaway region in the north of the country following a meeting in Djibouti, which was coordinated by President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

For a long time, Somaliland has been pushing for statehood, after it said seceded from Somalia in 1991, but the move has never been recognized by the world.

In the two-day conference held in Djibouti, both sides also agreed to fight organized crime. Guelleh has often called for peace and stability in the conflict-affected region and mediated a such meeting in the past with Ethiopia's role

The sides also pledged to agree on a roadmap for the talks within 30 days. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Muse Bihi Abdi were present at the signing of the 8-point agreement in Djibouti on Friday, which could unlock the differences between the two parties.

Interior Ministers Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Mohamed Kahin Ahmed spoke to the media after signing the agreement for the federal government and Somalia and Somaliland government, respectively, noting that the event will settle tensions between the two sides.

The two sides have been holding off-on dialogue in London, Turkey, Djibouti, and other countries since 2012, and no concrete results achieved so far.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced close collaboration between the two parties when he took over, noting that Somaliland remains part of Somalia despite the outstanding differences.

GAROWE ONLINE