US Congressman snubs Somaliland Foreign Minister

US Congressman Donald Payne snubbed Somaliland foreign minister, Abdillahi Mohamed Duale, and met with Dr. Mohamed Omer- foreign secretary of Somaliland’s opposition KULMIYE party in Washington DC.

Dr. Omer arrived in Washington on Sunday at the invitation of Donald Payne (D-NJ), chairman of subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, while the foreign secretary of Somaliland who remained in Washington for days was told the congressman wasn’t available to see him.

This was so humiliating for president Dahir Rayale’s government following its refusal to attend and participate in recent congressional hearing about Somalia chaired by Donald Payne.

The Somaliland government refused the idea of sharing a roundtable with representatives from the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland and Somalia, saying Somaliland is independent from Somalia and would not be lumped together with it as if it was still an integral part of Somalia.

Officials of Somaliland’s leading opposition party, KULMIYE, however saw this in a completely different light and thought it would be well advised to meet with a powerful man like congressman Payne who is a friend of Somaliland and to “put our message across without compromising the sovereignty and independence of Somaliland in any shape or form”.

Representative Donald Payne and Dr. Omer discussed a number of issues including the forthcoming Somaliland presidential election and other important issues in the region.

Representative Payne was quoted as saying that “the upcoming Somaliland presidential election should go ahead as planned”.

In a statement issued by Dr. Saad Noor, Somaliland representative to the US, Somaliland foreign minister, Mr. Abdillahi Duale, was equally on a working visit to the US for almost two weeks as part of “a periodic review of the relations between the two countries comprising a follow-up on pending issues and consultations on areas of mutual interest”.

Dr. Noor also confirmed Mr. Duale was received by president Obama’s advisor on Africa and met other officials from USAID although “Donald Payne refused to meet him,” according to VOA radio.

Ted Dagne, a specialist on African Affairs at the Congressional Research Service, said: “Representative Donald Payne do not recognise Mr. Duale as the only one who represent the Somaliland people and will meet any other official from Somaliland,” according to VOA radio- Somali Service.

Dr. Noor said: “ while we have a great deal of respect for Rep. Donald Payne nonetheless we will not accept anything we consider to be detrimental to the independence and sovereignty of Somaliland”.

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