Former Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke said he did not believe Puntland would declare a unilateral declaration of independence, noting that the current situation requires political dialogue and consensus.
In an interview, Omar Abdirashid said that politicians sometimes resort to sensitive issues when they fail to address security, economic and social problems.
“When politicians fail to solve existing problems, it happens that the public is distracted by sensitive political debates,” he said.
The former Prime Minister said that Puntland’s grievances with the federal government are worthy of discussion, but he did not see them as leading to unilateral and hasty action.
He also noted that Puntland had previously issued orders restricting cooperation between ministries and federal government agencies, which, he said, had affected the implementation of projects that required bilateral cooperation.
Omar Abdirashid said he did not believe that the people of Puntland would support any move to declare independence, describing the Puntland community as deeply understanding of the country’s political circumstances.
Responding to a question about Puntland’s complaint that it was not being listened to adequately, he said the federal government was right to consult and engage in dialogue with Puntland.
“Consultation is important. If the federal government avoids dialogue with Puntland, it is reducing the scope of its political influence and power,” he said.
Omar Abdirashid has served as prime minister of Somalia twice, and has now said he is running for president of Somalia.
