Hiiraan Online
Monday April 23, 2018
FILE PHOTO - A March meeting meeting between the President of Somaliland Musa Bihi Abdi and the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE
Hargeisa (HOL) - A large delegation from the United Arab Emirates arrived in Hargeisa to hold talks with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi on Monday.
The spokesman for Somaliland President, Mohamud Warsame Jama, said in a press statement the 12-member UAE delegation and President Biihi discussed a number of key issues concerning the two sides.
The UAE delegation expressed their regret over recent remarks made their State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, which they stated were misinterpreted by some of the local and international media.
The UAE stated it will issue a formal apology on the same soon.
The UAE also made several other pledges to Somaliland including assisting the breakaway republic in strengthening its security and rebuilding its army by providing equipment and training.
It also promised to accept to start purchasing livestock from Somaliland markets in the near future.
The UAE further expressed their willingness to strengthen the bilateral ties between the two sides and lambasted the 'enemies of the two nations' of resorting to disseminating misleading reports aimed at undermining the relations between the two nations.
Relations between Somalia and the UAE have deteriorated drastically in recent weeks after a series of tit-for-tat actions between the two nations culminated in the UAE disbanding a military cooperation program that it had been running in Somalia.
Somalia has banned Dubai-operated DP world from doing business in Somalia. The company has insisted that it will go forward with their controversial port deal in Berbera and assist in the training of Somaliland security officers.
President Siilaanyo on his side thanked the UAE government for accepting the Somaliland passport which he said is of high significance for the Somaliland nationhood.