Puntland and Galmudug boycott Istanbul Conference on Somalia

President Alim of Galmudug and President Farole of Puntland

The Presidents of the semi-autonomous Somali regions of Puntland and Galmudug say they are not going to the forthcoming Istanbul conference on Somalia. I have just received a statement signed by both of them saying they are not going because, they say, "the Turkish role in Somalia is a) misbalanced, b) objects to consulting the Somali people, c) politically motivated in cohort with the foreign policy of some countries, and d) not transparent enough for the people to make a sound judgement."