Somalia accuses Ethiopia of encroaching on its sovereignty

The Somali government has condemned cooperation plans announced by neighbouring Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland as an attack on its own sovereignty.

Earlier, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President, Muse Bihi Abdi had on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, according to which Somaliland will grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea.

The agreement also includes the construction of an Ethiopian military base on the Somaliland coast.

Following an emergency meeting, the Council of Ministers of Somalia had called for the UN Security Council and the African Union to deal with the tensions between the Horn of Africa nations as soon as possible.

“Somaliland is part of the Republic of Somalia and Ethiopia has violated international norms,’’ it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Somalia also recalled its ambassador from Ethiopia to Mogadishu for consultations.

Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud on Tuesday described the memorandum of understanding in the Somali parliament as a “disgrace against international norms and laws.’’ He called on the Ethiopian prime minister to reconsider the decision.

“This is not an agreement, but a violation of our existence as a country,’’ he said, adding that Somalia would not give up a single bit of its land.

“ At the same time, Mohamud stressed that after decades of tension, Somalia was endeavoring to work together with Ethiopia on a better future for both countries.

Somaliland, a region in the north of Somalia with around 3.5 million inhabitants, declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, but is not recognised internationally as an independent state.

The port of Berbera is used for trade with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region.

Even the Islamist extremist militia Al-Shabaab had rejected the declaration by Ethiopia and Somaliland, accusing Ethiopia of planning to conquer Somalia.

“We are ready to defend our land and sea with our blood,’’ an Al-Shabaab spokeman said.

Speaking in the Somali parliament, President Mohamud emphasised that the declaration by Somaliland and Ethiopia could give Al-Shabaab new supporters and spark further violence.

This he said after Somali security forces had inflicted significant losses on the militia.

“Please do not give terrorists the opportunity to reorganise,’’he warned.