This was way way over their head for the Farmaajo side.
Unlike Abiy or Afwerki Ghelleh never wasted his time on meetings that have no prospect of agreement small or big.
Ghelleh had already told Farmaajo that any meeting with Somalilaand should have clear agenda and minimum that has to be achieved. Sometimes could be humanitarian, financial..etc agenda that has nothing to do with recognition. Sometimes its purly how to avoid wars (sub-clan conflicts) since Djibouti has no interest in any conflict.
For Abiy and Farmaajo it works to be seen with others and to be seen in big meetings, even meaningless ones. For Ghelleh those kinds of meetings are most dangerous. Lots of rumors, and no agenda or results.
Somaliland was in the driver seat. Somaliland never ever was at the mercy of Ethiopia be it Mengistu, Meles, Hailemariam or Abiy. Somaliland has never embarrassed or undermined any Somali, which Ghelleh is probably most significant Somali right now.
Remember both Abiy and Farmaajo are UAE servants who would not hesitate to carry water against Djibouti any day, while Somaliland has never carried water for anybody against Djibouti, even when Somaliland could have benefited a lot for example with Afwerki, UAE and even America.
galbeedi,
The main results Ghelleh wants is for Somalia and Somaliland not to engage in any conflict directly or indirectly and to never work against each other in development of ports, construction, education, health..etc.
Somaliland has tangible and practical proposals, Farmaajo and Co had no clue and the team from Mugadishu could not agree among themselves even if they try to read it.