The leaders of Somaliland region in Northeastern will not be invited for the participation of US-Africa summit.
The government of United States (US) has confirmed that the U.S. did not extend invitations to Eritrea and Somaliland as African leaders prepare to meet with President Joe Biden in Washington next week.
“We’ve decided to be as inclusive as possible and consistent with the African Union and our own recognition of governments,” Judd Devermont, the National Security Council’s senior director for African Affairs, said in response to a VOA question about the exclusions of some African states.
Last week, Dana Banks, special assistant to the president and senior advisor for the summit, told VOA that 49 heads of state and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat have been invited to the high-level meeting.
“Invitations were sent to countries who are in good standing with the Africa Union,’’ she said. “Currently, there’re four countries that have been suspended by the AU, and so they were not extended invitations” in addition to “two countries – one which we do not recognize and one with whom we do not share full diplomatic relations,” Banks said.
The second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will take place from Dec. 13 – 15 with the U.S. seeking to deepen ties with Africa and meet its pressing challenges.
Somaliland proclaimed independence from the rest of Somalia after the collapse of the central government of Somalia led by the late Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. But the region failed to gain international recognition.
