A consensus building meeting hosted by non-governmental organisation in Nairobi, Kenya, between Somaliland and Somalia was boycotted by the federal entity in Mogadishu.
The meeting which was attended by international delegates from the United States, United Kingdom, Kenya, Sweden and Turkey was to have been a starting point for the stalled talks between the Republic of Somaliland and the federal administration in Somalia.
However, despite the fact that all other parties were present, the delegation from Somalia was a no show. In a statement issued from representatives of the federal administration in Mogadishu, “the venue, the agenda and the representation were not suitable at this time”
As forecast by many in the Somaliland media, it was highly unlikely that a delegation from the federal administration in Mogadishu would attend a meeting being held in Kenya, given the current frosty relationship between Mogadishu and Nairobi.
Still, it was hoped that some maturity and leadership would be shown by the federal administration in Mogadishu, since this meeting, was basically a preliminary discussions about future discussions.
It is not clear, whether another meeting will be rescheduled, but, the Somaliland delegation took the opportunity to engage the representatives from the international community and the host nation of Kenya.
Ali Mohamed Abokor
