Somalia cuts ties with Guinea over Somaliland

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Somalia said Thursday that it has severed all diplomatic ties with Guinea.

The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Ahmed Isse Awad, who also cautioned other countries against violating the sovereignty and unity of Somalia.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the federal government of Somalia has decided to cut diplomatic relations with the Republic of Guinea.

“The decision comes after Guinea accorded the protocol of a head of state in Conakry, Guinea to the leader of a separatist movement in Somaliland in northern Somalia, callously disregarding all relevant UN resolutions and African consensus,” it said.

The statement was referring to Guinea’s welcoming of Somaliland’s President Muse Bihi Abdi, who is visiting Guinea’s capital city of Conakry at the invitation of President Alpha Conde.

Kenya caused a diplomatic row with Somalia last week after its Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to a meeting with Somaliland officials as covering “issues of mutual interest to both countries” in a post on Twitter.

To date, no country has recognized the self-declared republic of Somaliland as an independent nation, although it has been acting as one for around three decades.