Somalia: Farmajo and Muse Bihi set to meet in Djibouti

MOGADISHU, Somalia - For the second time this year President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo will meet Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi in a bid to unlock impasse between Mogadishu and Hargeisa, multiple sources confirmed, just amid mounting pressure from international partners.

The two are set to meet on Sunday in neighboring Djibouti for negotiations involving one of the world's oldest conflicts, that has derailed cooperation within Somalia. Ethiopian PM Ahmed Abiy is the convener of the meeting, sources said.

Since 1991, the two sides have been operating independently, with Somaliland claiming autonomy from Somalia following atrocities committed to the people of the north by the rogue regime of Siad Barre. Thousands of "Somalilanders" died in the 80s.

Dr. Ahmed, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, a year after taking the realms of power in Ethiopia, has been pushing for dialogue between the two factions and had managed to organize a meeting in Addis Ababa on February.

While the meeting was said to be "coincidental", Farmajo and Bihi are said to have "briefly" discussed contentious issues and there were claims that the former had proposed to visit Hargeisa, but the planned collapsed following resistance from Somaliland.

Despite apologizing to Somaliland for atrocities committed, Farmajo's trip was postponed after Ethiopian negotiators failed to get a date even after visiting Hargeisa days after the Addis Ababa meeting.

According to multiple sources, Sunday's talks come after weeks of negotiations brokered by Dr. Abiy, who is said to be sponsored by the United States of America. Washington is keen to have the two parties on the table before the much-anticipated polls, sources added.

With just a few months to elections, Somalia is yet to determine among others, the electoral model and the representation of Somaliland in parliament. The meeting will also come amid pressure to have talks between the FGS and federal states over the impending polls.

While it's clear the meeting is Djibouti will be held, there is no immediate agenda available to the public but the unity between the two parties will predominantly feature. Dr. Ahmed had pledged to mediate the crisis, sources said.

Reports from Villa Somalia indicate that Farmajo will travel to Djibouti for the Tripartite summit for the Horn of Africa, which both Bihi and Ahmed will also attend. It's during this unique meeting that the two parties are expected to unravel the traditional fallout which has bedeviled progress in Somalia.

Last month, the United Nations hailed the February meeting between Farmajo and Bihi, arguing that it was a tremendous step towards achieving long-lasting peace and stability in Somalia.

The meeting between the two protagonists, Antonio Guterres said, was a "positive step" towards reunion efforts for Somaliland and Somalia, which have had strained relationships, including "unnecessary" embargos that affect the almost homogeneous composition of their population.

After the February Addis Ababa meeting, Farmajo issued a public statement in which he "acknowledged atrocities" committed by the previous regime, which Guitteres now terms as a "bold and honest" approach towards the world's most unsolved crisis.

"I commend President Farmajo for
issuing a public statement acknowledging past human rights violations by the Siad Barre regime, and President Bihi for accepting the gesture," read Guitteres' speech that was delivered in UNSC.

From these gains, the UN chief added, both leaders should devise a strategy of reviving the dialogue which seems to have after all stalled, due to undeniable suspicions that have existed between Mogadishu and Hargeisa for decades.

"I call upon both leaders to build upon this engagement to improve relations and make progress towards a resumption of the dialogue between Somalia and Somaliland," he noted.

Similar calls for dialogue have also been pushed by the European Union, another key stakeholder in Somalia, which is responsible for ongoing stabilization programs. EU envoy Nicolas Berlanga has been one of the committed mediators.

Last month, the EU special envoy to Somalia, said he had revived the plan to reunite the two sides, following a video conference with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi. The union, Berlanga noted, "is keen to facilitate the process".

During the rare call, Berlanga noted the need for mutual cooperation between the two sides, adding that there is a need to reach agreements expeditiously "to settle the problem of its citizens and fulfill" their aspirations.

A report by the International Crisis Group last year indicated tensions between Somalia and Somaliland remain high. The core bone of contention is still Somaliland’s political status in light of its 1991 declaration of independence, which Somalia rejects.

“Somaliland’s deal with an Emirati conglomerate and Ethiopia to manage the port of Berbera – which Mogadishu saw as challenging its claim to sovereignty there – deepened antagonism,” states the report.

The report, however, says the frictions eased in 2019, and outside pressure has created some momentum toward renewed negotiations between the two sides, which last gathered to talk in 2015.

“Given high levels of suspicion between Somalia and Somaliland, international mediation will be crucial to achieving progress, but roles need to be assigned carefully."

GAROWE ONLINE