The leaders of Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Jubbaland and Puntland have boycotted a meeting by federal government to discuss the country’s debt relief in Mogadishu.
The federal government called the federal states to attend the debt relief conference which is scheduled to take place between 7-11 March in the capital Mogadishu.
Puntland Ministry of Finance has issued a letter indicating they will not be attending the meeting, but requested a month-long postponement as it is preoccupied with holding the ‘Puntland Consultation Conference on March 15’ in Garowe.
A statement from Jubaland state’s ministry of finance said that they will not be attending the federal government of Somalia’s meeting with the regional finance ministries in Baidoa, accused the central government of imposing sanctions on their people and mistreating their officials at Mogadishu airport.
In the absence of Jubaland and Puntland, the process to secure needed debt relief for Somalia may be derailed, as the requirements set by the international community on the federal government include working with regional governments.
