Ethiopia-Somalia tension: AU, US call for calm in Horn of Africa
The African Union and the United States of America have called for calm in the Horn of Africa following simmering tension between Ethiopia and Somalia after the former signed an MoU with breakaway Somaliland.
The agreement grants Ethiopia, a landlocked nation, access to the Red Sea through the Somaliland enclave. Ethiopia would gain access to the Bab El-Mandeb Strait in the Gulf of Aden through a corridor leased from Somaliland for 50 years, Ahram Online reports.
In return, Somaliland would reportedly receive an undisclosed share in Ethiopian Airlines and recognition as a state. Following this, Somalia recalled its envoy to Ethiopia, Ahram Online has reported.
Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, said in a statement, “The Chairperson calls for calm and mutual respect to de-escalate the simmering tension between the governments of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia. In this regard, he urges the two countries to refrain from any action that, unintentionally, may lead to a deterioration of the good relations between the two neighbouring Eastern African countries.”
“The Chairperson stresses the imperative to respect the unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty of all African Union member states, including the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Furthermore, the Chairperson underscores the importance of adhering to the norms of good neighbourliness to promote and consolidate peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa region,” the statement further adds.
The US, on the other hand, while rejecting international recognition for Somaliland, further called for a swift resolution of the tension.
"The United States recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia within its 1960 borders," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters. We join other partners in expressing our serious concern," he said, "about the resulting spike in tensions in the Horn of Africa,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
He further urged “all stakeholders to engage in diplomatic dialogue."
Somaliland is a self-declared, de facto independent state located in the Horn of Africa. It declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained international recognition as an independent country. Despite operating with its own government, military, and currency, Somaliland continues to seek international recognition as a sovereign state.
