Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Saad Ali Shire met with the EU ambassador for Somalia & Somaliland, Veronique Lorenzo, on Thursday to discuss the upcoming Presidential elections and the current ravaging drought plaguing the country.
Shire also discussed the stalled peace talks between Somaliland and Somalia with Lorenzo and Somaliland’s case for international recognition.
Below is a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
The Foreign Minister met with the European Union Ambassador Veronique Lorenzo who is visiting Somaliland to discuss the elections and the severe drought. The EU is very much concerned about the drought that has affected over 1.5 million people they have shown unwavering support to the drought relief efforts.
The Foreign Minister has told the EU Ambassador that the distribution of election registration cards may oppose a challenge because people are displaced. Most of the election voters in the regions were affected and displaced by the drought.
The Foreign Minister also raised the subject of Somaliland and Somalia talks and is ready to continue the talks with Somalia. The government of Somaliland is sincerely committed to improve and continue the Somaliland and Somalia talks. Somaliland wishes for a better neighborhood and peaceful co-existence of the two brotherly countries. Foreign Minister said ” Somaliland is an independent country and is not part of the federal states of Somalia. The Republic of Somaliland reclaimed its independence, and has since enjoyed self-governance and freedom.”
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, after a civil war in which many Somalilanders were killed. We will not cooperate in attempts to rebuild the former unified state of Somalia. We have built a separate state, which meets in full the criteria of customary international law for statehood, and which our peaceful and hard-working citizens are proud of.
The Foreign Minister told the EU Ambassador that Somaliland is extremely grateful to the EU for its strong support and friendship across a whole range of important issues.
