The government of Turkey has nominated its former ambassador to Somalia to be Special Envoy for Somalia-Somaliland on-off dialogue.
Turkey has been seeking monitoring role in the efforts to end Somalia and Somaliland conflict since 2012.
In a twitter post, Somalia Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey Jama A Mohamed has commended welcomed Turkey’s efforts to facilitate Somalia’s northern regions and the federal government of Somalia.
“It was a great pleasure to meet Amb. Bekar in Ankara and be briefed his new role. He played an important role in strengthening Somali-Turkish ties. I assured him of our support to him Turkey’s new Special envoy to Somalia-Somaliland talks” said Jama.
Bekar’s ambassadorial tenure which lasted four years has come to an end last month after Turkish government appointed new ambassador to Somalia.
Early this year, Turkish deputy prime minister, Hakan Çavuşoğlu who toured Mogadishu said Turkey was committed to mediate Somalia and Somaliland.
During that time, Çavuşoğlu expressed his country’s displeasure at being excluded from the negotiations between the leaders of Somalia and Somaliland after Somaliland proposed Turkey to be excluded from Somalia-Somaliland talks over claims that Turkey sidelined with Somalia.
The talks began in 2012 when the London Conference on Somalia, held at Lancaster House on February resulted in a communiqué… Pre-talks communique emphasised “the need for the international community to support any dialogue that Somaliland and Somalia.
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The two sides agreed on the continuation of the talks facilitated by Turkey but month later Somaliland rescinded its decision and accused Turkey of supporting Somalia against Somaliland.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.
