MOGADISHU, Somalia – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia issued a press statement on Thursday, January 18, 2024, following the meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Commission (AUPSC) that discussed the recent tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.
The statement said that Somalia welcomed the AUPSC’s affirmation of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of all member states of the African Union, but also reiterated that Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity had been violated by Ethiopia when it signed an illegal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the self-declared republic of Somaliland, which is part of Somalia.
The MOU, which was signed on January 1, 2024, reportedly granted Ethiopia access to a 20-kilometre coastal strip in Somaliland for a commercial port and a military base in exchange for Ethiopia’s recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty. The deal sparked outrage and condemnation from Somalia, which considers it a breach of its territorial integrity and international law.
The statement said that Somalia rejected any possible mediation with Ethiopia unless Ethiopia retracted its illegal MOU and reaffirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia. It also said that Somalia was ready to engage with all member states of the AU, the UN, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc of eight countries in East Africa, on a mutually beneficial relationship that was grounded on international law and could lead to economic development and shared prosperity.
