Africa Review
Saturday, March 16, 2013
The president of the self-declared Republic of
Somaliland has said that his authority will not participate in a London
conference on Somalia.
Mr Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo,the Somaliland leader said that the conference won't add value to his republic.
“The London Conference will be held for Somalia,” said Mr Silanyo on Friday.
He reiterated that Somaliland and Somalia could continue talks on their relationship, adding it was not continuing.
“The talks between the two sides could make
progress when restarted,” said the leader upon returning to Hargeisa
city, 1500 km northwest of Mogadishu, the Somaliland capital, from a
trip to Turkey.
At Hargeisa Airport, President Silanyo said that
his delegation that included several ministers from his government met
with high ranking officials in Turkey to lobby for support.
“Turkey is going to assist Somaliland with various projects including water, health and education.”
Somaliland declared secession from the rest of
Somalia on 18th of May 1991, following the collapse of the central
government of Somalia.
Britain announced that it was going to host a
conference on Somalia on May 7, which will be co-chaired by Prime
Minister David Cameron and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud of Somalia.
Ms Fawzia Yusuf Haji Aden, Somalia’s Foreign
Minister-cum-Deputy PM confirmed that its government was going to fully
participate in the London Conference.
In January, Somaliland dismissed a travel warning issued by Britain, citing possible terrorism in the self-declared republic.