LONDON: A senior adviser to Somalia’s president has said that his country was prepared for a war with Ethiopia to prevent recognition of Somaliland’s statehood and the building of a naval base in the breakaway territory, according to The Guardian.
On January 1, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland allowing for the construction of a coastal port.
The move has enraged Somali government, which claims Somaliland as part of its territory and declared that the deal is illegal.
The adviser said, “We are pursuing all diplomatic options and I think Ethiopia will come to its senses, but we are ready for a war if Abiy (Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister) wants a war.”
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia’s President, warned last week to “prepare for the defence of our homeland” as rallies took place in Mogadishu condemning the MoU.
At a summit in Saudi Arabia in November 2023, Ahmed denied seeking sea access via Somaliland in a private conversation with Mohamud, said the adviser, adding that the deal “caught Somalia by surprise.”
Somaliland was a British colony until 1960, uniting with former Italian colony Somalia after five days of independence.
Somaliland seceded in 1991 and today operates as a de facto independent state with its own currency system, parliament and foreign embassies. However, no country has yet formally recognized it.
Despite its relative stability and prosperity compared to Somalia, Somaliland struggles to attract foreign investment and cannot directly access the international financial system.
The agreement with Ethiopia is seen as paving the way for the recognition of Somaliland statehood, although the former has insisted that the deal is purely commercial.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Essa Kayd said: “Recognition is what we have been fighting for all this time and it is the most important thing we can offer to the people of Somaliland.
“Ethiopia needs sea access and we need recognition, so you can see how these needs can be dealt with.”
Ethiopia, however, said it had only agreed to “make an in-depth assessment towards taking a position regarding the efforts of Somaliland to gain recognition.”
Addis Ababa’s move to access the sea comes amid construction of Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam, which has angered Egypt and Sudan, which they say will limit their access to Nile water.
Ethiopia and Somalia fought a war over disputed territory in 1977-78, leading to decades of tension between the two countries.
In 2006, Ethiopia attacked Somalia to remove Islamist militants from Capital Mogadishu, leading to the Al-Shabaab insurgency.
