Hassan Sheikh: Ethiopia is not after cooperation, it is after our land

ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia has been accused of plotting to infringe Somalia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, a move which could further deteriorate relationships between the two countries.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud maintains that Ethiopia is determined to grab the land instead of pushing for mutual cooperation, a statement which has been backed by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.

The people of Somalia both home and abroad, he added, must stand firm against Ethiopia's aggression, noting that their sovereignty and territorial integrity should be nonnegotiable. Ethiopia signed a controversial agreement with Somaliland on access to the sea.

The President reiterated his government’s position on the MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland noting there will be no compromise. He noted the agreement was fueling disunity among the Somali people.

“The issue we are against is not development and cooperation, it is about taking our land. We won’t allow a meter of our land to be taken,” the President said.

The agreement is still in the implementation stage with both parties ready to cooperate. On Wednesday, Ethiopia denied a letter making rounds on social media suggesting that the deal had been canceled after 'careful' thought.

In the letter, which the Office of the Prime Minister termed as fake, claimed the agreement had been withdrawn. Ethiopia maintained that all channels of communication are domiciled in the office of the Prime Minister, terming the contents of the letter as "fake".

GAROWE ONLINE