President Ahmed M Silanyo of republic Somaliland departed to Ethiopia and UK...

Somalilandglobe.com-Hargeysa- 18 November 2010 - President Ahmed M Silanyo of republic Somaliland is departed to a working visit to Ethiopia and UK . Somaliland President Ahmed M Silanyo, is accompanied by a number of his cabinet Ministers, and is expected to meet Ethiopian Prime Meles Zenawi  and other top business political leaders.

This is the second visit the president will make since he become president in July 26 2010. The president Silanyo has chosen Djibouti for his first visit, and was given an official welcome at Djibouti airport by President Ismail Omar Guelleh with a red carpet reception. The reception of President Silanyo in Djibouti included all ceremonial symbols of an official visit by a foreign Head of State. This was seen as an important symbolic victory to President Silanyo as Djibouti long has been regarded one of the principal opponents to the recognition of Somaliland, supporting Somali unity.

Somaliland relationship with Ethiopia, have been good over the years. Ethiopia has profited from the peaceful and orderly conditions in Somaliland and the landlocked country is a major customer of the port facilities in the Somaliland city of Berbera.

Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Silanyo is also planning for a official visit to London when he leaves Ethiopia, where he hopes to "make a short speech to the "Parliament and Chatham House" and meet several British Ministers.

Though not recognised by the international community, Somaliland currently has good diplomatic relations with its neighbours Djibouti and Ethiopia and some key African and European countries, including its former colonial power, Britain.

Somaliland, a former British Protectorate united with the former Italian Somalia in July 1960 to form the Somali Republic, unilaterally restored its sovereignty after the 1991 collapse of Siyad Barre's dictatorial regime, which especially had victimised Somalilanders.

Since then it has restored peace and stability and embarked on a democratisation process, holding municipal and presidential elections.