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Somalia President Hassan Sheikh appoints Abdikarim Guled as envoy for Somaliland affairs

Abdikarim Hussein Guled

Abdikarim Hussein Guled.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

By  Mercy Simiyu

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has appointed Mr Abdikarim Hussein Guled as the envoy for Somaliland affairs.

Dr Mohamud indicated the appointment stresses Somalia's commitment to ensuring the unity and solidarity of its people, hence the need to find a lasting solution to the existing concerns between the Federal government and Somaliland.

Mr Guled previously worked on resolving disputes between the Federal Government of Somalia and Somaliland during the tenure of President Hassan Sheikh from 2012 to 2017.

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He previously held different positions among them; the Minister of Interior and Security of Somalia under Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon from November 2012 to January 2014.

Guled's term ended when new Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed named him minister of the newly formed Ministry of National Security.

In July 2015, he contested to be the president of the Galmudug region, defeating the current Interior Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi to assume Galmudug’s leadership.

Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi welcomed the appointment of the envoy.

 “The appointment of the Special envoy for Somaliland affairs is a step in the positive direction and we welcome the dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia,” Mr Bihi said.

In a related development, the opposition parties in Somaliland, including the UCID Party, have welcomed the appointment of the envoy. The leaders of SSC-Khatumo also issued a statement in support of the appointment.

Mr Guled’s appointment comes at a time when the international community expressed their concerns about the ongoing war between Somaliland army and SSC local forces in the Las-Anod where more than 200 people have been killed in the past two months. SSC-Khatumo wants to secede from Somaliland.

Since his appointment, Abdikarim Guled has made a series of consultative meetings with politicians and government officials including Mr Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, Speaker of the Upper House of Somalia and Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamza Abdibare  

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