UN chief hopes for 'peaceful, constructive' dialogue over Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU
New York, US (PANA) - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed the hope that all parties in the growing dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia following the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland, under which landlocked Ethiopia will secure access to seaports in Somaliland, will engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue and refrain from any actions that could further escalate the situation.
Mr. Guterres was speaking on Wednesday with Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia, at his request, according to the readout of the call by the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN chief.
It said Mr. Guterres took note of Somalia’s concern regarding the MoU that was announced on 1 January and "recalled that the Security Council has repeatedly affirmed its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Somalia".
The Secretary-General hopes all parties will engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue and to refrain from any actions that could further escalate the situation.
Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as de jure part of Somalia.
Somaliland has not gained widespread international recognition despite declaring autonomy from Somalia in 1991. Somalia says Somaliland is part of its territory.
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.
President Mohamud condemned the pact that 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 wrote on X.
“Not an inch of Somalia can or will be signed away by anybody. Somalia belongs to the Somali people. This is final,” he said.
Prime Minister Abdi Barre said the government would "defend the country", after the pact with Somaliland gives Ethiopia a leased military base on the Red Sea.
“I want to confirm that we are committed to defending the country. An inch of our land, sea and air cannot be violated,” the Somali Premier said following an emergency cabinet meeting.
“We are able to defend our country as we have done before. This time, we want to be united and set aside differences between Somalis.”
Somaliland President Abdi said his government had agreed to give Ethiopia access to a 20-km leased land along the Red Sea in return for Addis Ababa recognising the break-away Somali region.
The Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) quoted the Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister as saying the MoU for Partnership and Cooperation is intended to serve as "a framework for the multisectoral partnership between the two sides".
"The MoU shall pave the way to realise the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaports. It also strengthens their security, economic and political partnership," the Ethiopian Prime Minister said.
Furthermore it also indicates the pathway to bolster their political and diplomatic relations.
The Ethiopian national security adviser, Redwan Hussien, said Somaliland would have a stake in state-owned Ethiopian Airlines.
Ethiopia lost access to the sea when Eritrea broke away in 1993 following a long war and it now relies on Djibouti for its maritime trade. Under the MoU, it will use Somaliland's Red Sea port of Berbera.
The Somaliland President Abdi is quoted as saying that as part of the agreement, Ethiopia would be the first country to recognise the country as an independent nation following its breakaway from Somalia in 1991.
-0- PANA MA 11Jan2024
