The summit comes at a time of increasing regional competition involving Somalia, Somaliland, Ethiopia, Egypt and Eritrea, particularly over maritime access, security cooperation and political influence in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa.
The ministry reaffirmed Somaliland's claim to statehood, pointing to its independence on June 26, 1960, before the formation of the Somali Republic on July 1, and its declaration of sovereignty in 1991.