Somalia: Ethiopia's PM responsible for conflict in Horn of Africa

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia has yet again unleashed a scathing attack on Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, linking him to conflicts in the Horn of Africa, despite being a Nobel Peace Prize winner which is associated with noble individuals contributing positively towards peace and stability.

For some time, Somalia has blamed Ethiopia for signing a treaty with the breakaway region of Somaliland over access to the Red Sea, a move which it insists violates various international laws and treaties on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a lengthy statement, Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the country 'would not tolerate any infringement on its unity and sovereignty or any external ambitions with expansionist aims'.

According to him, Somalia agrees only to mutual benefits with Ethiopia on a 'commercial basis, not permitting access to the sea on military or sovereign terms or permitting long-term or short-term presence'.

"Any understanding with Ethiopia would be by international laws, customs, and treaties, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he insisted, in a statement during the briefing of departmental heads.

Fiqi said Abiy Ahmed was desperate to engineer and fuel tensions in the Horn of Africa, a region already struggling with insecurity and instability, in which Ethiopia is also a victim. There have been internal conflicts within Tigray and Amhara regions in Ethiopia.

"He is seeking to ignite conflict in the Horn of Africa to deflect attention from the internal issues plaguing his regime," Fiqi said. Minister Fiqi warned that such actions could lead to widespread violence and instability in the region, state media reports.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of various scenarios, as directors and advisors presented strategic ideas and visions aimed at safeguarding Somalia’s unity and sovereignty and countering any potential Ethiopian annexation actions.

Talks between Ethiopia and Somalia over the controversial agreement with Somaliland have since collapsed in Turkey with Somalia blaming Ethiopia for disrespecting 'our territorial integrity and sovereignty'. Turkey is mediating the talks.

Should the process kick-start, Ethiopia will have 20 kilometers of the Red Sea for construction of a military base and port as it seeks to cut ties with Djibouti, Kenya, and Sudan. Currently, Ethiopia uses the Ports of Lamu, Djibouti, and Sudan for the transit of goods.

In return, Ethiopia pledged to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, a move which further irked Somalia. Somaliland, an autonomous state within Somalia, has been fighting for statehood since 1990 when the union disintegrated.

However, Somalia maintains the region remains part of its territory despite pressure for recognition. Somalia has also threatened to block Ethiopia from contributing peacekeeping mission troops to the country from next year as the fight against Al-Shabaab picks.

GAROWE ONLINE