Yesterday, President Musa Bihi of Somaliland announced that his country would reject all donations sent through Mogadishu.
President Bihi made this announcement in a speech delivered to commemorate the 29th Anniversary of his country’s cessation from Somalia.
The occasion, which is marked every year on May 18, saw President Bihi issue a stern warning to international partners to send their donations directly to Somaliland.
Additionally, Bihi also indicated that it is disrespectful to ask his country to share humanitarian assistance with Somalia when Somaliland is an independent nation.
Consequently, he labeled Somalia “an enemy” of Somaliland because of its failure to recognize the independence and existence of his country as an independent nation.
President Bihi said, “We would like the world to know that we were one with Somalia for 30 years. We survived decades of strife and misery before breaking free in 1991.”
President Bihi is scheduled to meet and discuss bilateral relations between Somaliland and Somalia with the leader of the latter, President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
However, Bihi reiterated that the talks would only proceed if the two countries meet as two independent nations.