Minister: Ethiopia will be the first country to recognise Somaliland

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The debate on possible recognition of Somaliland has continued to dominate the Horn of Africa, with a senior Ethiopian government official reiterating the position of the Horn of Africa nation, noting that nothing will change Addis Ababa's decision.

In a viral tweet which has since been deleted, Ethiopia's State Minister for Industry Tarekegn Bululta insisted that the country will be the first in the world to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state, adding that the plans are currently underway.

The economic and military alliance between the two parties will follow later on, the minister said, in what could heighten political temperatures and possibly ignite Somalia's sovereignty talks, a move that could plunge Ethiopia into international isolation.

"Ethiopia will be the first to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. Our economic and military alliance will then follow," said Ethiopia's Minister of State for Industry, in his tweet, which would be pulled down later.

Somaliland has maintained that it would surrender 20 kilometers of the Red Sea to Ethiopia for construction of the Naval Base and port with Ethiopia reciprocating through recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state.

Prof. Ahmed Ismail Samatar says: "Recognition of Somaliland is not coming, it is a game that we have been doing for the past 33 years. The story of Siad Barre and his regime "massacred us" didn't work, the world has nothing to offer for this, they say it was a civil war. It happens in the world, it isn't a big deal."

The Federal Republic of Somalia denounced the Red Sea MoU signed in January 2024 as a "blatant assault on the independence, sovereignty, and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. There have been calls for Ethiopia and Somalia to embrace dialogue but Somalia has already cut diplomatic ties with Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is facing internal wrangles among its communities and the latest feud with Somalia will only escalate leadership problems. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has remained silent over the matter for the last several months over the matter, and is yet to publicly address it.

GAROWE ONLINE