Phil Evans, head of the UK DFID Somalia, meeting President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi in Hargeisa.
It has been widely reported yesterday that Somalia has written to the international donors that it will not be renewing the Somaliland Special Arrangement agreement that has been in place since 2013.
Phil Evans, head of the UK DFID Somalia, meeting President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi in Hargeisa.
In the letter, the Somali Minister of Planning stated that treating Somaliland differently is not fair to other states of Somalia and that all aid should flow through the Somali Federal Government. In his letter, he did not mention that Somaliland has withdrawn from the union with Somalia in 1991 and has been an independent country for 27 years.
A response letter from the heads of Somalia Donor Group was not addressed to the Minister of Planning, instead to the Somali Deputy Prime Minister, and while diplomatically crafted it made it clear to the Somalia government that the circumstances that made it necessary to have this agreement in the first place still apply.
This is a clear indication that the SSA agreement is something that was put together by the international community to ensure Somaliland gets it is fair share of aid directly and not through Somalia.
In a rebuttal to the main point of the Somali Minister letter, stated that there are stark differences between Somaliland and Puntland and none of the other Somalia states existed at the time the agreement was reached. Additionally, this agreement is necessary to keep up with Somaliland’s breakneck development pace or as the letter put it development needs.
Constructive and Sincere Spirit
Finally, the response letter asks that Somali’s Federal Government to avoid politicizing aid activities and to reconsider the proposal in a “constructive and sincere spirit” and to come back with a no objection guarantee.
The response from the international donors has been public for few hours and has been widely discussed among regional observers, some view it as a strong rebuke to Somalia’s letter and a not so gentle reminder that the Somalia Donor Group will deal with Somalia with or without the cooperation of Somalia’s Federal Government.
There are unconfirmed reports from Addis Ababa that the President of Somaliland HE Muse Bihi has received an invitation from the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Dr. Abiy Ahmed and will be headed to Addis Ababa in the coming days.
Attempts to confirm these reports from the Somaliland Government has been fruitless as President Bihi’s administration is tight-lipped compared to previous administrations. However, the likelihood of this happening is very high as Prime Minister Abiy has so far visited every country in East Africa and few beyond except Somaliland.
President Muse Bihi Abdi departs to UAE on official state visit.
Somaliland, Ethiopia and DP World signed a trilateral agreement to develop the Berbera port where Ethiopia holds a 19% stake and. This agreement has been made directly with Somaliland and could be a major topic of discussion.
The Special Arragement for Somaliland was part of the Somalia Compact rectified in Brussels in 2013.
The Somali Minister’s stated justification for declining to renew the Somaliland Special Arrangement agreement is that it will seem that Somaliland is being favored by the international community and donors over other states of Somalia and that all aid funding should flow through Villa Somalia. Failing to mention that Somaliland, despite its lack of recognition has declared itself an independent country 27 years ago.
Earlier this month, in an interview with the Sinclair Broadcasting Group, Senator Paul who is a fiscal conservative and a proponent of curbing US debt and spending said “There’s 920 instances of child soldiers, forcing children to fight. There’s evidence that some of these soldiers are parts of al-Qaida. There’s also evidence that some of these soldiers are nothing more than highway robbers”. and called for an end to end to US taxpayer money for Somali National Army.
Somalia’s Federal Government, while unable to control major parts of its capital Mogadishu and curb violence by Al-Shabaab and other Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups in Somalia, has tried to assert control over Somaliland on paper and complaints to the Security Council.
It’s unclear if this letter or Somalia’s withdrawal from the Somaliland Special Arrangement agreement will have an impact on Somaliland’s ability to secure funding from donor countries. What is very clear is that Somaliland has been less reliant on aid and more on investment and tax collection to deliver critical services to its population.
Somaliland has shown a remarkable ability to work directly with neighboring countries including the United Arab Emirates which sent a contingent of its military to help distribute relief to those affected cyclone Sagar.
Could this be about Tukeraq?
Somalia’s Minister of Planning in Somaliland’s Sanaag region.
Somaliland has accused Somalia’s Federal Government as being behind Puntland’s claim over large swaths of its territory and particularly the Minister of Planning who illegally crossed into Somaliland in January a head of the Tukaraq conflict to supply arms to Puntland militias.
Direct Engagement with Somaliland
Some observers point to the Tukaraq conflict and Somalia’s inability to gain ground in battle and thus resorting to its favorite method of trying to stifle Somaliland’s progress in any way possible.
There has been an increasing number of western politicians who has called for direct engagement with Somaliland, one of them is Zac Goldsmith a senior member of the UK Conservative Party who has called on UK Minister for Africa, Harriet Baldwin, to reconsider a policy and give British aid directly to Somaliland.
Others who are familiar with the international community’s frustration with Somalia because of massive corruption and lack of basic oversight of their taxpayer’s funds to Somalia, have welcomed the move and stated that they have always preferred to engage directly with Somaliland where robust governance has been in place for over two decades.
The Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed paid an unexpected visit to Mogadishu on Saturday June 16th to meet the Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. The newly elected Prime Minister has been on a whirlwind of visits to meet with Ethiopia’s regional traditional rivals and other African leaders but his visit to Mogadishu has been the most discussed and auspicious yet.
Dr Abiy Ahmed greeted Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, at Bole International Airport
Dr Ahmed’s visit to Mogadishu follows another meeting a day earlier in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan signed 3 billion US dollars loan and investment agreements, including a one billion foreign currency support. According to the signed agreement with Ethiopia, UAE will make an immediate transfer of 1 billion US dollars to the National Bank of Ethiopia to alleviate the foreign currency shortage in Ethiopia.
Dr Abiy’s visit to Mogadishu differed from all meetings he has had so far with any leader, in that he swapped his sharp tailored suit for a casual khaki and according to eye witnesses and photos of his visit to Mogadishu and also brought with him a massive force of Ethiopian Special Forces for security escort. Somali security personnel where no where to be seen.
A video of the streets of Mogadishu shows Ethiopian forces with AMISOM guarding many parts of Mogadishu while the Prime Minister was visiting.
“Don’t let his charming smile fool you or the Doctorate for that matter, Abiy has fought against Mengistu Haile Mariam as a teenager and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel as an intelligence officer, he knows what he is doing and saw action in many conflict theaters in Africa, this is not his first rodeo the Prime Minister was a peace keeper in Rwanda during the genocide!
In a joint Communiqué issued by the Prime Minister and the President of Federal Government of Somalia Mr. Farmajo, Mr. Abiy has won massive concessions that did not show any reciprocity on the part of Ethiopia.
Article #7 is the most significant of the Communiqué points to a joint Ethiopian – Somali investment in four unspecified ports in Somalia and land transportation network. Ethiopia is land locked and has no ports of its own to contribute to this bilateral agreement with Somalia.
The timing and the optics of the meeting raised many questions, a day after meeting with the the Crown Prince of Abu Dhab and a massive infusion of 3 billion dollars with 33% or 1 billion to be immediately transferred to Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Prime Minister visits Mogadishu.
To many observers, this was a rather unexpected turn of events that Somalia would concede four ports to Ethiopia while the trilateral deal of Somaliland, DP World and Ethiopia added to the political instability of Somalia that led to the ouster of the former Speaker of the Parliament as well as the numerous grievances that Somalia filed in the UN Security Council against this deal.
Prime Ministry Abiy stated that he wants to build an Ethiopian Navy though at the time it was not clear where it would be based on despite that his country is landlocked.
Somalia Amb to the U.N. @AbukarOsman1 tells Security Council that the military base UAE is building in Berbera is “in clear violation of international law”, calls on UNSC Security Council to “take the necessary steps”. pic.twitter.com/vxV6NUFwBr
There is no evidence that Mr Farmajo has brought up the Prime Minister’s ambition to build and base a navy in one or all of the four Somali ports he won in this concession.
Others point to the very nature of the meeting between Dr Ahmed and Mr Farmajo where it seemed the Ethiopian Prime Minister has gone to great lengths to show that the Somali leader was not his equal. Social media has been a blaze from the Prime Minister’s safari attire to the photo of him hugging Mr Farmajo to assert dominance and his justified distrust of all Somali security personnel and instead bringing a large contingent of Ethiopian Special Forces to guarantee his safety.
Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, left, introduces his ministers to the new Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, middle, during Abiy Ahmed visit to Somali, Mogadishu, Saturday, June16, 2018.(AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
A western diplomat who did not wish to be named said “Don’t let his charming smile fool you or the Doctorate for that matter, Abiy has fought against Mengistu Haile Mariam as a teenager and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel as an intelligence officer, he knows what he is doing and saw action in many conflict theaters in Africa, this is not his first rodeo the Prime Minister was a peace keeper in Rwanda during the genocide!” of the Ethiopian Prime Minister.
Despite the minutia and the level of detail the media and the public has analysed the meeting and the resulting Communiqué, another important but overlooked article is #12
Though article #12 of the Communiqué is lacking in detail, many who were privy to the discussion stated that the Prime Minister was has strongly suggested that Somalia officially renounce any territorial claim of the Ogaden region of Ethiopia and declare the Ogaden National Liberation Front a terrorist group. While some media outlets interpreted this article as a sign that Ethiopia no longer supports an independent Somaliland.
A Villa Somalia protocol official who feared for his safety described the meeting in lopsided and Mr Farmajo in a demure and submissive state he has never seen, saying “Abiy came, he conquered and humiliated Farmajo and if I see my name in the paper, I will be shot dead and they will say it was Al-Shabaab. This was the saddest thing I have witnessed in my 40 years of service to my country”. Adding “They even disarmed Farmajo’s own security and inspected the Somali honor guard’s weapons to ensure there was no ammo”.
President of Somaliland with Former Ethiopian Prime Minister H.E Hailemariam Dessalegn
When reached for comment, on condition of anonymity, a high ranking official in HE President Muse Bihi government said “We have enjoyed watching Somalia flail and file complaints about the Berbera DP World to anyone who would listen, now they conceded four ports to Ethiopia in one meeting, obviously, we congratulate Prime Minister Abiy for his impressive negotiating skills but this is not our business, this is a bilateral agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia. Unlike Somalia, we respect other countries decisions and self determination and we don’t try to control things beyond our sphere of influence.”
Statement by Mayor soltelco on his official Facebook page.
On the Occassion of Eid Al-Fitr, Mayor of Somaliland’s capital of Hargeisa Abdirahman Aideed “soltelco” issued a statement on his official Facebook page that the Hargeysa Municipality has allocated land for current members of Somaliland’s Armed Forces as well as the survivors of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense for their country.
The Mayor’s statement wished happy Eid Mubarak to all Muslims and Somaliland public and especially members of the Military.
The statement also appealed to mayor of Somaliland’s other major cities to make similar pledge and allocate land for our Armed Forces.
Mayor SOLTELCO’s statement is short on specifics and it is unclear if member’s of the military and survivors of those killed in action will be given the land free of charge by the Municipality or if they will purchase it at a discounted rate. Either scenario is a welcome news as land prices in Somaliland are very expensive. The Somaliland Chronicle is trying to reach the Mayor for further clarification.
The Governor of Somalia’s Puntland state Mr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas repeated the call for Jihad against Somaliland during his speech to worshipers after the prayer of Eid Al-Fitr.
Puntland is claiming that large swaths of Sool and Sanaag regions are part of it is territory based on their tribal composition. While Somaliland is asserting that its borders are those defined by the colonial powers which is what every border in the entire African continent is
based upon.
Somaliland accused Somalia’s Federal Government of being behind two failed assaults by Puntland Militias to retake Tukeraq town.
Mr. Gaas who has sacked his intelligence and security services chiefs last Wednesday in a move that many observers attributed to string of high profile and brazen attacks by Al-Shabaab terrorist network. Al-Shabaab has overrun a major military base close to the regional capital of Bossasso. Additionally, reports from Bossasso also pointed to intelligence lapse in the planning of two failed assaults on Somaliland’s Army in Tukeraq town.
Despite the region being in the grip of terrorism, the regional Governor once again called for armed Jihad and appealed to the people of Sool that Puntland is coming to liberate them.
Somaliland Responds
Somaliland Presidential Spokesman Mr. Mohamoud Warsame Jama
When asked to comment on Mr. Abdiwali’s threats and call for Jihad against Somaliland, Somaliland’s Presidential spokesman, Mr. Mohamoud Warsame Jama stated Somalia and Somaliland had a union that was dissolved in 1991, there is nothing between Puntland and Somaliland. He added that Somaliland will not respond to the weak regional administration that cannot secure its people from Al-Shabaab and any threats from Puntland are of simply no consequence.
The spokesman continued to say that Somaliland holds the Somali Federal Government responsible for the attacks on Somaliland in Tukeraq on two separate occasions and that we have been a nation, a powerful nation that existed for 27 years and will not be harmed by skirmishes by Somalia.
The President’s Spokesman added that Somaliland is working to provide relief to its people affected by the recent cyclone but will defend it self and its borders are not negotiable and that it is ready to defend itself against attacks.
Russia comprehensively thrashed Saudi Arabia, 5-0, in the opening game of its home World Cup. Yuri Gazinsky scored on a header 12 minutes in, and afterward Saudi Arabia could offer little resistance.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Russian President Vladimir Putin watch the ceremony prior to the Russia 2018 World Cup Group A football match between Russia and Saudi Arabia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / SPUTNIK / Alexey DRUZHININ
Substitute Denis Cheryshev scored twice, with Yuri Gazinsky, Artem Dzyuba and Aleksandr Golovin also on target at a delirious Luzhniki Stadium.
Although the Saudis pressed in the opening moments, Russia created the first clear threat when Mario Fernandes crossed for Fyodor Smolov, whose shot was blocked.
Priceless reaction by Putin and Crown Price Salman
And the hosts struck after 12 minutes when they forced another corner which was half-cleared and, when Roman Zobnin crossed, Gazinsky headed home the tournament’s opening goal.
Saudi Arabia were under increasing pressure and Smolov’s deflected strike was clawed away by keeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf when play continued after an offside had been missed.
But they threatened with 20 minutes gone when Yasser Al-Shahrani broke down the left and, from his cross, Mohammad Al-Sahlaawi’s header was deflected wide.
Soon afterwards, Russia were forced into a change when midfielder Alan Dzagoev pulled up with what seemed to be a hamstring injury and was replaced by Cheryshev.
Cheryshev was quickly into the action, racing from inside his own half before being dispossessed as he tried to shield the ball while support arrived.
Ten minutes before the break, Salem Al-Dawsari embarked on a dangerous run for Saudi Arabia but was crowded out, and moments later Russia appealed in vain for a penalty when Smolov went down under Osama Hawsawi’s challenge.
Cheryshev was in a dangerous position on the left of the area but ran out of space when it seemed the hosts could be about to double their lead. But with 43 minutes gone they did just that, substitute Cheryshev superbly getting away from a challenge and thumping his finish high into the net.
Neither coach made any changes at the break, with Russia’s Smolov the first to threaten in the second half with a deflected effort.
Saudi Arabia were continuing to give possession away easily and, from another concession dangerously close to their own area, Golovin fired over.
But the Saudis were close to pulling a goal back soon afterwards as a dangerous cross zipped through the area with Taisar Al-Jassim unable to get a telling touch. Salman Al-Faraj headed over from a free kick as the hour approached, but Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev remained largely untroubled.
Saudi coach Juan Antonio Pizzi made a change after 63 minutes, bringing winger Fahad Al Muwallad on for midfielder Abdullah Otayf, and Russia’s Stanislav Cherchesov replaced Aleksandr Samedov with Daler Kuzyaev soon afterwards.
Smolov came off for fellow striker Dzyuba as Russia made their final change — and Dzyuba wrapped up the points with his first touch after 71 minutes when he took advantage of more poor marking to head powerfully home.
Roman Zobnin sent a header over soon afterwards — but Russia saved the best until last as Cheryshev swerved a glorious effort into the top corner with his right foot in added time, and there was still time for to Golovin to bend in a magnificent free kick in the closing seconds.
A response letter from the heads of Somalia Donor Group was not addressed to the Minister of Planning, instead to the Somali Deputy Prime Minister, and while diplomatically crafted it made it clear to the Somalia government that the circumstances that made it necessary to have this agreement in the first place still apply.
In a rebuttal to the main point of the Somali Minister letter, stated that there are stark differences between Somaliland and Puntland and none of the other Somalia states existed at the time the agreement was reached. Additionally, this agreement is necessary to keep up with Somaliland’s breakneck development pace or as the letter put it development needs.
Finally, the response letter asks that Somali’s Federal Government to avoid politicizing aid activities and to reconsider the proposal in a “constructive and sincere spirit” and to come back with a no objection guarantee.
The Mayor’s statement wished happy Eid Mubarak to all Muslims and Somaliland public and especially members of the Military.
