By Maher Ahmed - Reporter
Mogadishu — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Somalia will review its policy toward Somaliland to rebuild trust and advance the country's longstanding goal of national unity.
Speaking during celebrations marking Somalia's Independence Day on Thursday night in Mogadishu, the president said the policy review would seek ideas capable of addressing the concerns of people living in the northern regions.
"We are reviewing our policy on Somaliland and the northern regions so that we can find an approach that convinces our brothers and sisters to reunite with the rest of Somalia," Mohamud said.
The president said his government remains committed to pursuing Somali unity through dialogue and patience, adding that it is prepared to overcome the challenges that have complicated efforts to resolve the decades-long political divide.
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He also stressed that the federal government would continue to safeguard the interests of communities living in the northern regions and work on initiatives that serve their social, economic and political needs.
"Our commitment to Somali unity will not waver. We will continue searching for every possible avenue that can bring our people back together," he said.
The remarks signal what could become a shift in Mogadishu's approach toward Somaliland, although the president did not outline what specific policy changes the review might produce.
Somaliland declared independence from the rest of Somalia on May 18, 1991, following the collapse of Somalia's central government. Since then, it has operated with its own government, security institutions and electoral system while seeking international recognition as an independent state.
Successive governments in Mogadishu, however, have maintained that Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia and have consistently pursued efforts to restore the country's territorial unity through dialogue and political engagement.