AU urges foreigners to keep off Ethiopia/Somalia row
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) – The African Union (AU) has expressed deep concern over the ongoing tension between Ethiopia and Somalia, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland on 1 January 2024 and its potential adverse impact on peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa region.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) meeting held on 17 January 2024, considered the situation following a statement by AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, on 3 January 2024, stressing the imperative to respect the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of all AU Member States.
The PSC also took note of briefings by Ambassador Abdullalie Warfa, Permanent Representative of Somalia to the AU and Ambassador Ayele Lire, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the AU.
In line with Article 4 of the AU Constitutive Act and Article 4 of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, as well as the Charter of the United Nations, the PSC unequivocally reaffirmed its strong commitment and support for preserving the unity, territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all Member States, including the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The PSC has called on Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia to adhere to and be guided by the core principles of the AU and international law in their bilateral and international relations.
It also urged external actors to abide by the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of the two AU Member States; to refrain from further actions and pronouncements that could negatively impact the strong bonds of good neighbourliness, friendship and solidarity existing between them.
"In this regard the Council called on Ethiopia and Somalia to exercise restraint, de-escalate and engage in meaningful dialogue towards finding a peaceful resolution of the matter, in the spirit of African solutions to African problems."
The Council welcomed the deployment of the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, to foster dialogue between the two countries and provide regular updates to the Council.
In addition, the Council welcomed the convening of the Extraordinary Summit of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Kampala, Uganda, scheduled for 18 January 2024 and looks forward to its outcome.
Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which landlocked Ethiopia will secure access to seaports in Somaliland.
Somalia's leaders have condemned the MOU with President Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre rejecting it as "illegal" and an “absurd violation” of the country’s sovereignty.
The MoU was signed in Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Somaliland leader, Muse Bihi Abdi.
The MoU gives Addis Ababa a 20-km access to the Red Sea coast via Somaliland.
“As a Government, we have condemned and rejected the illegal infringement of Ethiopia into our national sovereignty and territorial integrity yesterday,” Mohamud said.
"Not an inch of Somalia can or will be signed away by anybody. Somalia belongs to the Somali people. This is final,” he said.
-0- PANA AR 18Jan2024
