HARGEISA, Somalia – Somaliland said that an official agreement was recently signed with Ethiopia and a committee of experts was appointed to complete it.
Somaliland’s Information Minister Ali Mohamed Hassan who spoke to the BBC said that the deal will contribute to the strengthening of cooperation between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
“Somaliland and Ethiopia have a trade, security, and relationship partnership that has been going on for a long time, and they are discussing how to strengthen it,” said Minister Ali Marehaan.
The minister denied that high-ranking Ethiopian officials are in Somaliland according to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, but he noted that there are high-ranking Somaliland officials in Addis Ababa, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs D.R. Jesus Kayd Mohamud.
The President of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, recently appointed a committee of academics, lawyers, and diplomats led by Amb. Bashe Awil will work to complete the agreement.
Minister Ali Marehaan said that the agreement will be completed as soon as possible and then it will be presented to the legislative councils.
Somaliland said that this agreement would cause Ethiopia to recognize it as an independent country, while the Somali government described its independence as being violated.
