President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni yesterday received a Special Envoy from the Republic of Somaliland, Dr. Jama Musse Jama, at State House-Entebbe.
During the engagement, President Museveni agreed to be the unification facilitator between Somaliland and Somalia.
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an unrecognized sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognized internationally as a de jure part of Somalia.
The President said that he does not support the secession of Somaliland from Somalia because it is wrong.
“We don’t support secession because strategically, it is wrong,” President Museveni emphasized.
President Museveni told Dr. Jama that Somalia and Somaliland should do away with politics of identity if they want prosperity for their country.
He explained that people face similar challenges regardless of their race and religion.
He instead advised leaders to embrace politics of interest which is more important and will transform the citizens socially and economically.
President Museveni further agreed to trade with Somaliland saying that this would benefit the two economies.
“In case you have something that we don’t have, we shall buy from you, you can also buy from us what you don’t have if we have it,” President Museveni said.
President Museveni also advised that a Country’s internal market alone is not enough, and therefore there is a need for Somaliland and Somalia to unite, trade together, and also trade with other African countries.
Dr. Jama informed President Museveni that there is an agent need for Somalia and Somaliland to unite because they are missing out on a lot of development.
Dr. Jama also requested the President to take center stage in uniting the two countries because of his influential role in Somalia.
On the other hand, he expressed the need for Uganda to partner with Somaliland in trading, saying that Ugandan investors should start supplying goods to Somaliland and also buy from them the goods they do not have.