Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC January 17, 2008 QUESTION TAKEN AT JANUARY 17, 2008 DAILY PRESS BRIEFING SomalilandQuestion: Prior to this week, when was the last time that senior U.S. officials met with officials of Somaliland?
While the United States does not recognize Somaliland as an independent state, and we continue to believe that the question of Somaliland’s independence should be resolved by the African Union, we continue regularly to engage with Somaliland as a regional administration and to support programs that encourage democratization and economic development in the Somaliland region. Reflecting the nature of our engagement, the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Yamamoto met with Somaliland President Dahir Rayale Kahin and his delegation when they were passing through Addis Ababa in early January 2008; the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger held consultations with Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Mohamed Dualeh and his team in Nairobi in Fall 2007; and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi E. Frazer also met with Somaliland Foreign Minister Dualeh during the African Union summit held in January 2007. 2008/038 |