EU envoy to Somalia Nicolas Berlanga Martinez had left Somaliland with disappointment after he failed in his mediation efforts to end the squabble over upcoming electoral commission nominees.
Berlanga was accompanied by Swedish envoy to Somalia, Staffan Tillander, paid working visit to Somaliland in a bid to resolve the controversy that arose from nominees appointed by the incumbent president Bihi.
The mission of the visit to Somaliland was to put pressure on president Bihi to withdraw Mr. Abdirashiid Riyo Raac, which the opposition parties strongly opposed against his membership.
The political parties accused him of being Kulmiye ruling party.
Berlanga held separate meetings with the president and the leaders of the two opposition parties.
The incumbent Somaliland president Bihi had snubbed the proposal from Berlanga to pull out Abdirashiid’s nomination that has sparked the wrangle.
But all diplomatic pressures from Berlanga fell into the deaf ears of president Bihi.
Bihi argued that it is the house of national assembly to pass or reject the nominees but let’s wait and see.
Bihi promised to replace with immediate effect once the parliament rejects his nominees.
He underscored that the parliament is the only constitutional body that reserves the right to vet nominees.
Berlanga met with speaker of the House of representative and the political parties and departed from Hargeisa whilst upset of his failure to breach the gap and make major breakthrough over the impasse.
Berlanga is credited for his achievement of resolving the bone of contention where the political parties and the government wrangled the number of members of the upcoming NEC.
