MOGADISHU: Somalia has condemned the recently announced deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway state of Somaliland, terming it as an “aggression.” The agreement, signed by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi, involves Ethiopia gaining access to the Red Sea port of Berbera and leasing a military base, while potentially recognizing Somaliland’s independence.
The Somali cabinet denounced the memorandum of understanding (MOU) as a “blatant assault on the independence, sovereignty, and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.” As a countermeasure, Somalia has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia and called for urgent meetings with the UN Security Council and the African Union to address what it perceives as Ethiopia’s interference in its sovereignty.
Prime Minister Hamza Barre reassured the nation, stating, “We will not allow an inch of land, sea, and skies to be violated,” emphasizing the commitment to defend Somalia’s territory through legal means. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud rejected the deal as a violation of international laws but called for calm, assuring that Somalia holds no animosity toward the people of Somaliland.
