MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – US ambassador to Somalia Larry Andre and Africom chief Stephen Towsend on Thursday met with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi during a brief visit to Hargeisa, the first of its kind since the region broke away with Somalia in 1991.
During the meeting at Egal International Airport in Hargeisa, the US delegation and Somaliland President discussed forging cooperation on security and other key forefronts.
Bihi promised that his government would pay more efforts in safeguarding security of its waters to counter piracy and other criminal activities, and called for US support, according to region-controlled TV.
Towsend is the highest ranking American military official to visit Somaliland in decades and his trip follows a call by US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee for an increased engagement with Somaliland on issues of mutual diplomatic, security and economic interests.
In March, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi arrived in the United States for his first trip, in what his Minister of Information said had followed an official invitation from Washington, though US ambassador to Somalia denied the claim. read more
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