The Presidents of Somaliland and Puntland, two unilaterally declared independent administrations in the north of Somalia that are locked in a border dispute, could meet in Washington at the end of January.
President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo of Somaliland is to go there and has already received his invitation for the event from the American Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State, Donald Yamamoto.
The President of Puntland, Abdulrahman Farole, should, for his part, also be in Washington at the same time.
In that case, the two Presidents could meet each other officially for the first time since the central government of Somalia collapsed in 1991. In any case, this is what the American State Department is trying to organise, under the supervision of the InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
If it does indeed take place, it could be chaired by Johnny Carson, the Assistant Secretary of State for the bureau of African Affairs.
It would tackle questions of cooperation between Somaliland and Puntland on economic matters and also in the field of the fight against piracy and terrorism.
Source: mfa.gov.et