Thursday 10, July 2025 {HMC} Somaliland government on Thursday accused the Federal Government of Somalia of violating the foundational principles that have guided decades-long dialogue between Hargeisa and Mogadishu, citing interference in the disputed Sool and Sanaag regions.
Somaliland’s Minister of the Presidency, Khadar Hussein Abdi (Looge), said the federal government’s recent actions have undermined trust and damaged the credibility of the negotiation framework.
“I believe that dialogue can be a solution to the long-standing issues between Somaliland and Somalia, but unfortunately, the government in Mogadishu has destroyed the principles on which the talks were built,” Minister Looge stated.
He said previous agreements required the federal government to refrain from interfering in Somaliland’s British colonial-era borders and stipulated that talks be held between two equal parties—Somaliland and Somalia.
“The foundation of the talks was mutual respect and equal standing,” Looge said. “But when it comes to Las Anod and now Sanaag, the federal government’s involvement has turned into direct interference. That has derailed the process, and the path to dialogue is no longer clear.”
Efforts to resume formal talks between Somaliland and Somalia have spanned several decades but have yielded no lasting agreements. The most recent tensions stem from ongoing conflict in the contested Sool region, where the Federal Government recently recognized the SSC-Khaatumo administration—a move Somaliland considers illegitimate.
Looge also addressed Somaliland’s continued engagement with Ethiopia, saying President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro will soon travel to Addis Ababa to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The visit is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
His remarks come amid reports suggesting that a separate agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia—announced earlier in Ankara—has stalled, with no significant progress since its unveiling.
