HARGEISA–Former Somaliland President, Mr. Muse Bihi Abdi, has called on the current government, led by President Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi Irro, to clearly present the bilateral agreement that was entered into with Israel. He also issued a stern warning to the Egyptian and Turkish governments, who have strongly expressed their opposition to Israel’s recognition of the Republic of Somaliland. Ex-President Bihi emphasized that any bilateral agreement between Israel and Somaliland must be fair and protect the interests of both countries. He warned that the agreement should not be one-sided and should not cause harm to either party. He stated, “The current government in Somaliland has not yet made public the details of the agreement with Israel, whether it is a formal agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), or a legally binding national accord. If the agreement is mutually beneficial and does not harm either side, we will discuss it.” During his term in office, Ex-President Bihi did not make public the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that Somaliland signed with Ethiopia in the beginning of 2024. Opposition parties have demanded that the Somaliland government provide full details of the MOU signed with Ethiopia. Ex President Bihi also expressed his disappointment at the united opposition of Egypt and Turkey to Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, despite the two countries having historically different opinions on many issues. He revealed that Egypt was actually one of the first Arab Muslim countries to sign a deal with Israel, and that former Egyptian President, Mr. Anwar Sadat, was the first Muslim leader to visit Israel. Bihi also pointed out that Egypt has not taken any useful action for Somalia, but is instead focused on seeing Ethiopia and Somalia in conflict to protect its interests in the Nile River. He also disclosed that the presence of Egyptian and Turkish troops in Somalia will not bring a lasting solution to the country. He stated, “The hatred they are creating is based on Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.” Ex-President Bihi also categorically denied the speculation that Palestinians will be relocated to Somaliland, stating that the Somaliland government has previously denied its existence. He also addressed the claim that Israel came to Somaliland to launch attacks on Yemen and Iran, stating that this is simply misinformation being circulated in the media. He added that this is not possible, as the Somaliland constitution clearly prohibits it. Finally, Ex-President Bihi called on the African Union to respect Somaliland’s borders, which are in line with the African Union charter that calls for the honoring of boundaries demarcated by colonial powers.
