Stability in Horn of Africa eclipse Ruto's meeting with PM Abiy Ahmed

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A communique released by President William Ruto and Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, a region facing political turmoil, with several people dying in the process as nations rise against each other.

In Ethiopia, inter-ethnic clashes have delayed Ahmed’s 'project' while in Sudan, Generals have been wrangling over leadership. Across Somalia, the country is fighting to eliminate al-Shabaab militants while in South Sudan, internal political disputes are dominant.

With Ethiopia now on the spot for allegedly plotting to annex parts of Somalia, Dr. Ruto and Abiy Ahmed discussed in-depth the future of the region, which is on the brink of collapse and conflicts taking a new shape within the region.

“Regarding the security situation in the Horn of Africa, President Ruto and Prime Minister Abbiy underscored the need to maintain peace, security, and stability within the continent as a necessary condition for economic growth and development by universal aspirations," the communique read.

"Accordingly, they affirmed their commitment to recognize, respect and uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and to reject unconstitutional changes of government as well as interference in domestic political processes of African Countries by external interests."

Inferentially, analysts believe, the explicit denouncement of "unconstitutional government changes" and "domestic political interference" by President WilliamsRuto implies a critique of the MoU as infringing upon Somalia's sovereignty, suggesting it to be unconstitutional and an overstep into Somalia's internal affairs.

Ruto's caveat to Abiy Ahmed, insisting on invalidating the contentious MoU before engaging with Somalia, highlights a demand for respect towards national sovereignty and legal frameworks, analysts say.

Dr. Ruto was critical in pushing for the cessation of hostilities in the Tigray region, leading to the signing of the Nairobi Peace Accord. But Dr. Ahmed, the Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2019, is accused of engineering political chaos within the restless Horn of Africa region.

GAROWE ONLINE