1/10/2025
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Waddani leader denies secret meeting with Somali president
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    Friday January 10, 2025


    Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan, chairman of Somaliland's Waddani party, addressing the press on recent political developments.

    Mogadishu (HOL) — Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan, chairman of Somaliland's Waddani party, has denied claims that he met secretly with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during a recent trip to Djibouti.

    Hirsi dismissed the allegations as baseless and reiterated his party's commitment to transparent governance. "I did not meet with President Hassan Sheikh during my visit to Djibouti," he said. "If any discussions were to be held, they would align with our party's policy and be conducted openly. We do not operate in secrecy."

    The rumours of a clandestine meeting sparked outrage in Somaliland's capital, with demonstrators accusing Hirsi of compromising Somaliland's quest for independence. Critics also criticized his visit to Djibouti, a nation with which Somaliland has experienced strained relations over the past year. They also argued that Hirsi overstepped his role as a party chairman by engaging in what they described as "unauthorized diplomacy," typically reserved for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "It's not his place to act as a diplomat," one protester said.

    Hirsi played a central role in initiating the first formal talks between Somaliland and Somalia during his tenure in former President Ahmed Silanyo's administration. These discussions aimed to resolve the decades-long dispute over Somaliland's self-declared independence.

    However, after more than ten years of inconclusive negotiations, many Somalilanders viewed the continued dialogue with skepticism. Critics argue that such talks have yielded little progress and are increasingly seen as a distraction from Somaliland's domestic priorities.

     





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