Somaliland leader postpones trip

President of the self-declared state of Somaliland, Muhamad Ibrahim Egal, has postponed until next week a trip to Ethiopia. In a report, carried by the BBC Somali service on Tuesday, Egal said he would not be meeting newly elected President Abdiqasim Salad Hasan, who is due in Ethiopia this week. Somali political sources told IRIN that the announcement was a setback for Abdiqasim, who has also delayed a visit to Ethiopia scheduled for Wednesday, as he had hoped to hold talks with both Egal and Abdullahi Yusuf in Ethiopia. Meanwhile, Abdullahi Yusuf addressed a large crowd in Galkayo stadium, Puntland regional province, on Tuesday, local sources told IRIN. Faction leaders opposed to Abdiqasim are reportedly attending a “consultative meeting” in Galkayo to form an alliance under the leadership of Abdullahi Yusuf, the ‘Qaran’ web site said.