An open letter to the president of Somaliland from a Djiboutian citizen
To President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” Dear President Irro, I am writing to you as a citizen of Djibouti following your recent remarks in “The Economist ”, in which you suggested that Djibouti may be seeking to destabilize Somaliland or may be involved, directly or indirectly, in supporting hostile forces along Somaliland’s borders. You also appeared to suggest that Djibouti’s position may be driven by concerns over Somaliland’s growing regional importance. These are serious allegations, and they deserve a response ; not in the spirit of confrontation, but in the spirit of clarity, truth, and good neighborly relations. Since the collapse of President Siad Barre’s government, Djibouti has consistently chosen engagement over confrontation in its relations with the Somali people. At a time when Somalia was experiencing profound political fragmentation and instability, Djibouti repeatedly opened its doors to dialogue and reconciliation. The Arta Conference rema...