As political tension between Ethiopia and neighboring Somalia mounts, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, met today with Hanna Tetteh, UN Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa.
The discussion between the two sides covered issues ranging from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), current affairs, bilateral and multilateral issues of common concern, as well as issues of regional peace and security, according to the information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, which didn’t mention the recent diplomatic clashes between Ethiopia and Somalia.
“Ambassador Mesganu said that the Ethiopian Government is committed to regional economic integration and doing well with Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and other countries in different sectors. According to Ambassador Mesganu Arga, the Ethiopian Government considers economic integration a key enabler of regional peace and stability,” the Ministry said.
It is also stated that the discussion between the two sides covered the current affairs of Sudan and regional peace and security issues.
It is recalled that dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia began a bout a week ago after the former and Somaliland, which has not yet got recognition as independent state, signed a memorandum of understanding that will enable Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea.
Following that the federal government of Somalia has opposed indicating the act as violation of its sovereignty because it still considers Somaliland as part of its territory.
“The Federal Government of Somalia is deeply concerned about the recent actions of the Federal Government of Ethiopia, which constitute a direct encroachment upon Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Ali Mohamed Omar, Acting Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, while briefing the diplomatic community in Mogadishu on January 3, 2024.
“On January 1, 2024, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Mr. Abiy Ahmed, and the Leader of the Northern regions of Somalia (Somaliland), Mr. Musa Bihi, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that unilaterally grants Ethiopia access to 20 KM of the Somali coastline on the Red Sea. This agreement was made without the consent or endorsement of the Federal Government of Somalia and effectively violates the country’s constitution and established international laws and norms,” he said.
“Ethiopia’s unilateral actions undermine the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are fundamental pillars of the United Nations Charter and the established norms of international relations. Disregarding these principles adversely impacts regional stability and establishes a troubling precedent for international relations,” said Ali Mohamed Omar.
“We call on the Ethiopian Prime Minister to rescind the January 1, 2024, unlawful agreement he made with a regional authority within the sovereign state of Somalia. Given the gravity of the situation and its serious implications for regional and international peace and security, we urge the international partners, through its esteemed platforms, to inform your esteemed leaders and request a swift condemnation of Ethiopia’s flagrant violations and ensure their immediate compliance with international law, thereby respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” he said.