Somaliland Rejects Uganda’s Unity Talks Offer

In a diplomatic response to Uganda’s unity talks offer, Somaliland has firmly stated that it has no intentions of engaging in dialogue regarding unity with Somalia.

The rejection comes in response to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s offer to mediate between Somaliland and Somalia’s federal government.

President Museveni, after meeting with a Somaliland government envoy in Uganda’s Entebbe city, announced that he had agreed to take on the role of peace facilitator between the two parties. However, he also made it clear that Uganda does not support Somaliland’s secession from Somalia, as it believes it to be strategically wrong.

Contrary to President Museveni’s offer, the foreign ministry of Somaliland released a statement emphasising that any talks with the government in Mogadishu will solely aim to discuss how the two previously united countries can move forward separately. The statement further reiterated that Somaliland has no plans or intentions of engaging in dialogue regarding unity with Somalia.

Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991, and since then, it has been actively seeking international recognition without much success. Previous talks between the two sides have been on and off, covering issues such as airspace management, cross-border movements, and Somaliland’s demand for recognition as an independent state.

This recent rejection by Somaliland firmly establishes their stance on the matter of unity with Somalia. It reiterates the self-proclaimed republic’s commitment to moving forward independently and highlights their desire to be recognized as a separate and sovereign nation.

The rejection of Uganda’s offer also adds another layer of complexity to the regional dynamics involving Somalia and its breakaway region. The sombre diplomatic response from Somaliland indicates that they are determined to pursue their course, focusing on their own development and governance rather than being part of a unified Somalia.