Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to work with international partners to re-open confidence-building dialogue between Somalia and Somaliland.
The UK welcomes steps to build confidence between the authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa, and is ready to support any well-founded dialogue process. UK policy remains that it is for Somalia and Somaliland to agree any new arrangements, and for neighbours in the region to take the lead in recognising them. UK officials joined a number of international partners and representatives from Mogadishu and Hargeisa at a recent informal meeting organised by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Nairobi in June, which was aimed at encouraging progress.