“Our engagement with #Somalia is reminiscent of Afghanistan, where we propped up a corrupt government in the name of democracy while our fixation on security failed to pay lasting dividends,” Elizabeth Shackelford: In Somalia, business as usual is a bad idea for US interests WWW.CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM Like in Afghanistan, the U.S. has propped up Somalia's government in the name of democracy though our fixation on security has failed to pay off.

It took South Somalia's leaders 30 years to come to the same conclusions that Somaliland's leaders reached back then. It just shows how the two sides are totally different. Somalilanders are realists, we do not go around the bushes to deal with issues - we face it head first. Whereas the Southerners like to be Dined/Wined and still they will just play on the woodworks and never go down to the real tough issues. In 1992, the US with all its might and along with the UN which came in the back of a collapsed USSR and they saw themselves as the sole leadership of the globe - they descended in Hargeisa and demanded for the UNSOM to deploy its troops to Berbera. The then SL leadership bluntly refused. The documents about how these engagements can be found in the archives of the United Nations Library and Congress Library. Another episode of why Somaliland's leadership is different happened in 2020. Here we have Abiy Ahmed who just received Nobel Prize and had all the Western countries queue up for him. Farmaajo tries to use this superstar Abiy Ahmed to pressure Somaliland. Once again, Somaliland tells Abiy Ahmed to get lost. Exactly 1 year later, Abiy Ahmed comes to the realisation that Somaliland is different and normalised relationship with Hargeisa. One of the other remarkable historic events also was when Somaliland rejected the Chinese overtures over Taiwan. Somaliland rejected it and bluntly told the Chinese that Life is not all about money. Principles trump cheap dollars. These tough principles decisions that Somalilanders have reached at very critical times when the choice was tough, have earned Somaliland a lot of respect from key countries including US itself.

Another gem from late SL President. This time, he is in Djibouti invited by Djibouti's President to attend as an observer and mediator to a Conference held in Djibouti for the warring clans of Somalia. Just pay attention how many times he puts that so called journalist in his place, effortlessly.

HSM also signed this.

MMA I would take a pint of salt with these reports. Nothing is further from the truth. Besides, we have seen Farmaajo's Government pull documents showing Previous Administration agreements with Ethiopia to justify their rendition of Qalbi-Dhagax. We have also seen the so called memorundum of understanding signed by Ministers with Kenya as far as the Somalia/Kenya maritime dispute is concerned. Now, tell us where is this signature that you are talking about? Just because some article here and there refers to one, doesn't make it reality or fact. I have articles of my own saying otherwise. Anyway, another thing that just trashes your argument is, when does a "Somalia President's signature" becomes law? Go back and read your constitution, unless you are talking about "Qooto-Qooto" style government. Which doesn't work in international setting. Have there been any UAE/Somalia agreement that was brought before your parliament? Well as far as the Somaliland/DPWorld agreement is concerned, it was brought before Somaliland Parliament and it was passed by both houses. That is where it stops.

The only thing that HSM may have had involvement in was the agreement brokered by the UK before 2012 London Conference. Which Somaliland agreed to attend the Conference and the "Special Arrangement" deal was signed. In the Special Arrangement deal, Somaliland has sovereignty over its development & Aid/Donor projects. There was no direct involvement by anyone in Mogadishu as far as DP World or any other agreement before that or after that. Anyway, as far as Somaliland is concerned, the time for marking around is over. There were a number of agreements reached over the last 10 years between Hargeisa and Mogadishu. These agreements couldn't move forward because of Mogadishu. That history of broken agreements by Mogadishu is a strong argument by Hargeisa before any 3rd Party that is going to mediate. So this time, it is going to be very different. There won't be any meeting at all unless the core issue is on the table. And further, there won't be any face to face meeting unless there is an understanding before the face to face meeting that the core issues will be finalised. In other words, the only time a face to face meeting will take place is when the issue is being finalised. No more time wasters, no more dancing around the bushes. Also, the fact that both the US and UK as well as UAE are in the driving seats in both Hargeisa and Mogadishu, will further assist in finalising this issue. The US wants to move its Djibouti military base to Berbera, as Djibouti no longer fits the bill for the US's strategic goals in the region - which among others include Democracy, Anti-China etc. Somaliland fits that bill. HSM also is desperate to have the US/UK's support as without them he is a lame-duck.

Somaliland's Foreign Minister invited to 10 Downing Street.

But also both the UK and US is onboard this time and understand the issue very well.

The Ukraine Army is almost 100% intact 3 months after the war. While Russia's invading army is a spent force and has no capacity left for offensive or even defensive posture. They are now sitting ducks - running out of supplies. As the Ukrainian drones harass the supply lines cutting off Russia's army. 3 months ago Today

Farmaajo has learned that very fact during the last 5 years. Not only has Somaliland forged stronger and deeper ties with its neighbors but also it's in the best shape ever in terms of diplomacy with the wider world. The reckless behaviour undertaken by Farmaajo was a godsend to Somaliland. B/c it rejuvinated and energised both the government and the masses to wake up to the threats and respond. Now coming back to HSM, he is absolutely right. Trying to abuse "the UN Seat" to try to isolate Somaliland, a legitimate entity, will always back fire and will only lead to the total opposite of the desired results. HSM mentions that "it is Somalia's leaders" to propose political solutions to the Somaliland question. But what has he got in his toolbox that can bring back Somaliland? There is absolutely nothing in Mogadishu's toolbox. The only thing that Hargeisa could accept is any future talks is to hold another "Referendum" on the Somaliland question. The results binding and accepted by everyone.

You could have a claim to that assertion if it wasn't for foreign forces enforcing their will on all sides to conclude the process peacefully. Remove the AMISom factor from the picture and you will have a completely different story. In fact, there would not have been a Tent at all. Either Alshabab or some clan melitia would have taken over the venue just like what happened in Eel region in Puntland where clan melitia took over the voting venue.

Reer Somaliland 26 Jun 1960 ayaa ugu danbaysay qof aan Soomaali ahayn oo ka amar qaataan. Let that sink in.

Nope. The only time when Somalia will claim to actually stand on its feet is when there is no more foreign forces baby-sitting them and changing their nappy/diaper every time they have disagreements. But when you cannot hold elections on your own without being humiliated like the below, then you cannot claim any progress. This is how Farmaajo, HSM, Deni and other were strip searched by Burundi soldiers in your own country.

Farmaajo played hardball with Somaliland. He tried to block Somaliland from the region, he bendover for Abiy Ahmed to try to achieve it. Farmaajo started trying to isolate Somaliland but in the end isolated himself. Case in point, in 2021 Djibouti's President invited Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Kenya's President, South Sudan's President, many representatives from the IC. And also invited Somaliland's President. Farmaajo was not invited. In the end, Somaliland has the strongest relationship with its neighbours from Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia, than ever before.

65% is a land slide for HSM.

It is now mathematically impossible for Farmaajo. HSM is winner.

Deni is first on the list, Farmaajo very close And then HSM and Khaire 3rd and 4th place.

Farmaajo and Deni neck and neck

Farmaajo seems extremely relaxed. Fahad is in the building too. They seem to know that they got this in the bag. Sh. Sherif and Hassan Sheekh are being typical reer Magaal. They seem to also be confident in making the final rounds. The odd one out is Deni. He seems very uncomfortable, unease, tired from missed sleep.

Ninkii seexdaa saciii dibi dhalaa!!!

This is not an election. It is vote market, the highest bidder will win the race. Fahad Yassin has been preparing for today for the last few years and in fact he knows the art of vote buying better than many others. He has done it before back in 2017. So, if I were a betting man today, I will say Farmaajo will make it to the second round handsdown. And has 60% chance of re-election. It all comes down to the Fahad Yassin factor today.

This November it is widely expected that the GOP will control both houses in Washington.

South Somalia can't save themselves and certainly have nothing to offer to Somaliland at all. Not today, not in the next 50 years.

Our plan is to change America's Foreign Policy towards Somaliland. It is really a very easy task which I don't know why it took for us this long. Probably we tried for too long to do it from the outside - as we refused to deal with the Americans not even with Terrorism. Somaliland is the only entity in the region that gets funding from the UK as far as fighting terrorism and counter-terrorism trainings. This time, Somaliland will change the US Policy from the inside by showing them exactly for what it is, just empty hollow rhetoric that has no real meaning or relevance to the reality on the ground.