Turkey’s Contribution to Efforts to Overcome Problems between Somalia and Somaliland

President Abdullah Gül met with President Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia and President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo of Somaliland at the Çankaya Presidential Palace. The three Presidents, during the meeting, which was held at the invitation of Turkey, accentuated the significance of the “Ankara Communiqué”, which aims at overcoming the existing problems between the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Republic of Somaliland through dialogue.

The three Presidents discussed how to overcome the current conflicts between Somalia and Somaliland, reviewed Turkey-Africa relations which have considerably gained momentum in recent years and tackled other regional issues during their talks which Foreign Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu also attended.

This meeting between Presidents Gül, Mohamud and Silanyo is regarded as the first step toward the resolution of the existing problems between the two African countries by means of dialogue and good will. As part of this objective, the “Ankara Communiqué”, which was signed by the governments of Somalia and Somaliland, is of great importance. The three Presidents underscored that Turkey’s contribution to this dialogue process between Somalia and Somaliland will continue and they also decided to hold another trilateral meeting in Istanbul within 90 days.

President Mohamud of Somalia, who took office in September, 2012, had paid his first foreign visit to Turkey in December last year.

Ankara Communiqué

Following the meeting at Chevening House (UK) of June 20-21, 2012 and the Dubai (UAE) of June 28, 2012, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Somali Federal Republic and President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo of Somaliland Government met on 13 April 2013 in Ankara.

The meeting is hosted by the Government of Turkey at the request of the two parties.

The purpose of this meeting is to reopen the dialogue after the change in the leadership of the Somali Federal Republic, and to establish a way forward for the dialogue.

The two parties:

1. Expressed their commitment to the continuation of the Dialogue.
2. Endorsed the content of the Chevening house Declaration agreed on 21 June 2012, and the Dubai Statement signed on 28 June 2012.
3. Stated that the Dialogue is between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Government of Somaliland. The international community that is supporting this process will only provide facilitation when is needed.
4. Agreed to encourage and facilitate International aid and development provided to Somaliland.
5. Agreed the need to consolidate a cooperation on security sector through sharing intelligence, training as well as sharing scholarships for security sector professionals in order to become more effective in the fight against terrorism, extremism, piracy, illegal fishing toxic dumping, maritime crime and serious crime.
6. Proposed to meet within 90 days in Istanbul at a date later to be agreed by the parties.
7. Agreed to refrain from using any inflammatory language and any other act which may put the continuation of the Dialogue at risk.

H.E. Abdikarin H Guled                     H.E.Mohamed Abdillahi Omer.