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| Africa Horn | ||
| Puntland ‘suspends cooperation’ with Federal Government | ||
| 2013-08-03 | ||
“If Puntland had existed as it does today in 1991 when Mogadishu collapsed, then Puntland would not have collapsed. This is among the benefits of federalism,” President Farole said. The Puntland leader spoke at length about the process to establish the Federal Government in Mogadishu, noting the sacrifices of life and limb made to ensure that Somalia had a functioning national government. “However, the federal constitution is the fundamental thing that keeps Somalia together. Without the constitution, Puntland is not married to Mogadishu; Puntland is only married to its state constitution,” President Farole declared, to the crowd’s applause. He criticized the Federal Government for failing to print new Somali Shilling currency and to help Somali markets recover, despite Puntland’s repeated appeals and the March 11 agreement signed in Garowe between President Farole and Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon. President Farole condemned Somali federal officials for preventing Sudanese scholarships for Puntland students, saying: “Do they [Federal Government] expect us to travel to Mogadishu so Sudanese scholarships can be distributed? What era are we in? Who do they think we are?” he asked to the crowd’s applause. “Puntland educational certificates do not require Mogadishu’s stamp of approval. If anything, Puntland should approve Mogadishu’s educational certificates, because Puntland has a unified curriculum, functioning institutions, standardized examinations, and an educational policy,” said President Farole.
President Farole declared that Puntland “will attend the New Deal conference in Brussels in September only with its own name, status and will speak on its own behalf. No entity will represent Puntland except Puntland government,” he added. | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |