APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed his country’s concern over the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ethiopian government and the Somaliland government, which was announced on January 1, 2023.
Mohamud expressed his country’s concern to the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres in a phone call made on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the United Nations.
Guterres has reportedly affirmed the Security Council’s stance concerning Somalia. The spokesperson cited him as saying that “…the Security Council has repeatedly affirmed its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of Somalia.”
However, the Secretary-General has urged him to avoid actions that could further escalate tension in the region.
“The Secretary-General hopes all parties will engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue and refrain from any actions that could further escalate the situation,” according to the news update from the office of the spokesperson.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called an emergency cabinet meeting soon after the MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland was announced. Somalia sees the MoU as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.
This week, he traveled to Eritrea, where he had a two-day working visit. Eritrean Press, an Eritrean news source, cited him as saying that he has updated Eritrean President Isaias Afeworki about Somalia’s war on Al-Shabaab. He is also quoted as saying “… I also came to brief His Excellency about the recent dynamics of the region. Our region is a very volatile region. I just came to share with him the perspectives of Somalia about the region. So it was information-sharing and briefing to each other that we do frequently…”
Ethiopia and Somaliland are yet to complete an agreement expressed in the Memorandum of Understanding which is said to happen in a month. If completed, Ethiopia will get 20 kilometers of coastal land in Somaliland for a military base and maritime commercial purposes on the basis of a 50-years lease.
In return, Ethiopia will give up a portion of shares in national assets like Ethio-Telecom, among others, and recognize Somaliland as a sovereign country. Somaliland has been existing as an unrecognized state for more than thirty years. According to local reports, there are protests in parts of Somaliland opposing the deal with Ethiopia.
MG/abj/APA