Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama has denounced Ethiopia’s recent agreement with the regional administration of Somaliland as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and a threat to regional peace and security.
Speaking at the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China (G77+China) in Kampala, Uganda, on Sunday, Jama said Somalia “condemns, rejects and resists” Ethiopia’s “aggression” against Somalia through an “illegal” memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, which Somalia considers to be part of its territory.
The MoU, signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland on January 1, 2024, grants Ethiopia access to the sea and a stake in Ethiopian Airlines in exchange for Somaliland’s claim of recognition as an independent state by Ethiopia in the future.
Jama said the deal disregards international law, customary law and the United Nations charter and cannot be tolerated. He called on all nations to join Somalia in opposing the violation of its sovereignty and urged Ethiopia to respect the international laws and refrain from this “irresponsible” step.
He also warned that Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland would destabilize an already fragile Horn of Africa and risk the security of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb, which are important trade routes for billions worth of goods annually. He added that Ethiopia’s aggression on Somalia would create turmoil that would fuel the recruitment of radical groups like al-Shabaab, which thrive in chaos.
Jama was addressing the summit on behalf of Somalia and thanked the state of Qatar for hosting the previous summit and Cuba for leading the G77+China during the previous term. He also congratulated Uganda for assuming the leadership of the summit this year and praised the theme of “Leaving No One Behind”.
He said Somalia was committed to pursuing a more equitable and just future and called for equality among nations, respect for sovereign borders, territorial integrity and non-interference in the affairs of the state, which he said were the bedrock of a peaceful world order.
The G77+China is the largest grouping of the global South, representing 80 percent of the world’s population. The summit aims at boosting South-South cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, sustainable development, climate change, poverty eradication and digital economy.
