Somalia: Cameron Speaks On Nation's Conference and Somaliland Independence

Somalia: Cameron Speaks On Nation's Conference and Somaliland Independence

22 FEBRUARY 2012

London, England — The British Prime Minister David Cameron who spoke to the BBC said that the upcoming conference will not deal with states looking for independence but that the one day conference being held in London will deal with security dilemmas that have plagued the country and its future, Garowe Online reports.

As the London conference is slated to take place on Thursday more than 40 leaders from Africa, the Middle East and Europe are scheduled to attend the meeting which will be a one day conference on Somalia's issues such as security and piracy and how to continue government support for the country.

Although Somalia has had recent achievements in forcing Al Shabaab out of strongholds in southern Somalia, the British PM feels there is still a long way to go. "The problems are very deep and the challenges are very grave but I do see progress," said PM Cameron.

The PM spoke about the Arab Spring and why it had not reached Somalia indicating that Al Shabaab have waged a jihad or holy war which youth have been recruited to join. Adding that a new hope has to be positioned in the hearts of the young so they can hold their government accountable. "We could see it all across north Africa, the prospects of an Arab Spring, where people actually start to have more of a say in their country and how it's run, and that should be the case in Somalia as well as in the Arab world," said PM Cameron.

The PM also touched on the unrecognized de facto sovereign state of Somaliland and their bid for independence. PM Cameron was asked if this upcoming conference would undertake the issue of Somaliland's independence. "The objectives of this conference are not Somaliland's independence," said Cameron, "Britain's objectives are to strengthen ties and cooperation with Somalia."

Somaliland after much hesitation officially joined the delegates attending the Somalia conference. Former Somaliland President Dahir Riyale and many other officials in the Somaliland government opposed the attending of the conference.