Hargeisa- SL (Cabays Media) President Siilaanyo with his presidential, interior and foreigner ministers has departed for Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa today.

Before boarding on an Ethiopian aircraft the president has briefly spoke to the media and said his travel to Addis Ababa is part of the routine trips improving the relationship between the two countries and he will discuss with the Ethiopian counterparts with issues both sides have in common interest.

“We are two countries neighbourly share common interests and cooperation and it is routine to discuss our interests and that is why we are heading to (Ethiopia)”

President Siilaanyo didn’t elaborate what he going to talk with the Ethiopian government and whether there are new issues he will raise on his part.

His visit comes days after the Ethiopian embassy in Hargeisa has suspended visa issuing without saying the reason, even though Somaliland’s foreign minister, Mr. Yonis has played downed the move and described it as a matter of “shortage of supplies of visa application forms” for Hargeisa’s Ethiopian office for visa.

The diplomatic relationship between Somaliland and Ethiopia has not been at best all the time since Siilaanyo led Kulmiye party took over the leadership and more frequently Ethiopia closes its border with Somaliland on security related issues.

Other news relating to president Siilaanyo’s visit to Ethiopia is saying that his visit is part of efforts in reviving the relationship between the two sides which is believed to be at its lowest level.

Speaking about the dispute of Guurti’s extension term for his government, president Siilaanyo said “We consider what the law says about it and there is body the law constitutes to deal with”

The political deadlock over his extension term is concerned by both Ethiopia, the British and the EU countries that help Somaliland with its democratisation process and it could be one of the issue president Siilaanyo can be discussed with.

President Siilaanyo’s departure comes just few days after he returned from U.A.E  and as some reports suggesting when the president and his delegation came through Addis Ababa and they were planning to meet with the Ethiopian officials, but were told top Ethiopian officials were in South Africa for the AU’s 25th annual conference and they had to come to Hargeisa.

It is not clear yet why or who first initiated the talks both Somaliland and Ethiopia will have this time and what exactly issues will be discussed as there are so many issues between the two sides, including the use of Berbera port by the landlocked Ethiopia and the talks with DP World which is going to affect any agreement with either side.

President Siilaanyo’s office term is ending on the 26th June even thought the Guurti has granted a controversial extension term allowing to remain in power for another one year and eight months.

All Somaliland’s top officials seeing off the president- a culture that goes back to Barre era.

However, it is not clear what exactly the president Siilaanyo’s delegation will discuss with the Ethiopian counterpart apart from the general interest the president Siilaanyo mentioned in his very short press briefings.

Cabays Media Staff

editor@cabays.com

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