SSG Still Issuing Meaningless Protests Regarding Somaliland Issues

Instead of organizing its own house, the South Somalia Government (SSG) continues to be focused with face-saving tales about what is outside of its jurisdiction. This way of thinking demonstrates the extreme incompetence and ignorance on the part of that government officials.

SSG officials now routinely intervene in the breakthrough developments of Somaliland with the intention of instigating absurd responses to disrupt them.

Back to 2016 when DP World struck a deal worth a total of $442 million with the Somaliland government to manage the port of Berbera for 30 years, the whole world witnessed the drama that was staged by the weak government in Mogadishu – one scene of it was lodging a protest against the UAE government with the UN and later rushing to have jeopardized their close relationship with UAE by taking unwise actions like scraping the UAE program of training Somali military.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals in SSG issued what they called a serious warning demanding Genel Energy to stop its operations in Somaliland.

Which action—the joint oil explorations by Genel Energy and Taiwan in Somaliland or the US Somaliland Partnership engagement—has a catastrophic impact on the idea of the territorial integrity of what was once the Somali Republic? Obviously, the response is clear – engaging with sole global super power and the number economy of the world will inject the energy that Somaliland case needs to become a force to reckon with.

And today, the weak government in Mogadishu has turned to Genel Energy, based in the UK, for its oil exploration that has been going on for a while in Somaliland, considering to be a soft target, in light of passing Somaliland’s inclusion in the 2023 NDAA, which has become a burning spark on her back and forced her into a position forbidding to challenge and alienate the United States government.

Taiwan, which is a significant stakeholder in this oil exploration and the source of the majority of the project’s funding, was chosen to be ignored by SSG authorities, and Taiwan was never mentioned by name in this statement that was intended to serve as a warning.

The London Stock Exchange listed company – Genel Energy- and Somaliland have been working on such oil exploration since 2012

South Somalia from time to time attempts interfering with Somaliland’s development ventures and international relations with other like-minded countries, in a very famous manner of fear stoking tactics, but up to this point, it hasn’t worked well in their favor yet.

Unfortunately, as the world is familiar with the clear distinction between South Somalia and Somaliland, it is obvious that such provocation of SSG is just a desperate move on their part

Somaliland has issued an appropriate statement in response to the weak government in Mogadishu’s announcement yesterday regarding Genel Energy’s operations in Somaliland.

Press Release on 29″‘ December 2022 by the Ministry of Energy & Minerals (MOEM) of Somaliland Republic

The people of Somaliland – through a democratic process – have entrusted their government with the responsibility of promoting and protecting their natural resources. It is the responsibility of the Government of the Republic of Somaliland to manage the country’s natural resources and to promote a sustainable economic development for the benefit of its people. Our constitution voted on by Somalilanders and confirmed by both chambers of parliament, governs investment and exploration in the country.

Our objective is to enhance the living conditions of our citizens and the economic growth of our nation. The Government has the authority to engage foreign investors in order to explore and exploit the Republic of Somaliland’s potential hydrocarbons and mineral resources as descried by the constitution and upstream petroleum Act 95/2001 of Somaliland.

No one other than the Somaliland government has the authority to claim or award an exploration license within Somaliland. Somaliland will continue to have bilateral agreements with international investors. It is not the first time that the weak administration of Somalia has unsuccessfully attempted to lay claim to our country’s resources and tried to obstruct our economic progress despite numerous agreements not to politicize the development of the two countries, as evidenced by their unsuccessful attempts to halt the development of gerbera Port, the creation of Somaliland development fund, and our engagement with oil exploration firms. Somalia must realize that meaningless rhetoric has no influence whatsoever on the sovereignty and integrity of Somaliland.

We will continue to engage and work closely with our international partners such as Genel Energy, OPIC Somaliland Corporation (CPC Corporation), RAK GAS and others on our shared interest without fear or favor. Somaliland is equipped with capacities of both deterrence and resilience, allowing it to combat interference from those who seek to impede our progress.

Somaliland has developed a stable, safe, and enticing environment for investment, we encourage foreign investors to visit and investigate investment opportunities in Somaliland.

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