Somalia: No official reception as Puntland president arrives in Mogadishu

MUQDISHU, Somalia Feb 5, 2015 (Garowe Online)- On Wednesday, two regional leaders from Puntland and Jubbaland arrived Mogadishu only to receive an unofficial reception from the Somali government, despite political tensions between the three parties, Garowe Online reports.

Relations between Puntland, a semiautonomous region in northern Somalia and Somalia's central government have been strained, in large part because of Puntland suspicions that the government wants to annex parts of the region by forming a regional admin for central Somalia while Jubbaland wants to operate outside the government's control.

At the airport, few MPs from Puntland and Jubbaland have received the two leaders instead of official receptions by top Somali government leaders.

Sources told Garowe Online that the meeting for which the two regional presidents come to Mogadishu was initially supposed to take place in Kismayo, following a deal by regional leaders.

However, Somali president and his allies who are trying to evade attempts by regional administrations to form a strong alliance have instead moved the assembly to Mogadishu to avoid having the world attention moved to the regional coalitions.

GAROWEONLINE