The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E Daud Aweis Jama said that it is a response to the actions outside the international law that Ethiopia maintains on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia, therefore it has requested the ambassador of Ethiopia to Somalia to return to his country for consultation.
Minister Daud who gave an interview to Arab World Press (AWP) added that the decision to close the two consulates of Ethiopia in the cities of Hargeisa and Garowe in Somalia came in response to Ethiopia’s continuous violations of the country’s independence.
The minister underlined that Somaliland and Puntland are two regions of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
He added that the two consulates of Ethiopia were working with the permission and consent of the Federal Government of Somalia, but the law they were working under has disappeared, as soon as the Federal Government decided to stop the previous permission they had.
The minister said, “It is important that Ethiopia respects the international laws and the diplomatic rules of the Geneva Convention, which govern and control the diplomatic process in accordance with international agreements.”
The Minister of Information of Somalia, who was responding to a question about the legal steps his country can take against Ethiopia, said, “We are ready to take all the necessary steps to protect our nationality and the unity of our land.”
Minister Daud Aweis stressed that the current crisis can be resolved quickly if the leadership of Addis Ababa stops the irresponsible behavior, which is not only dangerous for Somalia but a problem for the entire Horn of Africa region.
The Minister said that the Federal Government of Somalia insists on its position to respect international laws and to share peace and good relations with its neighbors and the rest of the world.
The minister said, “It is unfortunate that Ethiopia does not care about local and international regulations aimed at maintaining peace in the region”. The international community is watching the real situation and the conflict in Ethiopia. The only open way is to solve these problems peacefully, but instead of solving their internal problems, the leaders of Ethiopia have chosen to take measures to create new conflicts in the region, which can cause danger.
