ISTANBUL (Halbeeg News) – Turkish government has pledged to host a conference to negotiate the Somali government and Somaliland authorities.
Speaking at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Somalia Contact Group meeting in Doha, foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Somalia needs Turkey’s help to ensure political stability, to restructure national security forces and to create an environment that will allow economic development.
Cavusoglu said Turkey has participated in all international initiatives in Somalia to support the country.
“We offer a facilitating and mediating role in the negotiations between Somalia and Somaliland,” he said and added that the elections to be held in 2020 would constitute a turning point for the future of Somalia.
Cavusoglu said cooperation was needed to raise Somalia’s position in the world.
“Somalia needs our help to ensure political stability, to restructure national security forces and to create an environment that will allow economic development,” he stated.
The talks began in 2012 when the London Conference on Somalia, held at Lancaster House in February resulted in a communiqué.
In 2014, the Federal Government of Somalia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland signed an accord following three-day talks moderated by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
The two sides agreed on the continuation of the talks facilitated by Turkey but a month later Somaliland rescinded its decision and accused Turkey of supporting Somalia against Somaliland.
Close to four years down the line since Somalia and Somaliland talks brokered by Turkey had collapsed with no tangible progress reached following intransigence by the sides.
Somaliland proclaimed independence from the rest of Somalia after the collapse of the central government of Somalia led by the late Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Despite restoring peace in its region, but Somaliland has failed to secure international recognition.
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