The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed has issued a stern warning, vowing that Addis Ababa will ‘humiliate’ any nation that dares to threaten Ethiopia’s sovereignty, as tensions mount in the Horn of Africa.
Speaking on Sunday, Abiy’s remarks come as Ethiopia finds itself in disputes with both Somalia and Egypt. The maritime deal signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared independent region, has heightened tensions with Somalia, while long-standing friction with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) continues to strain relations.
“We will not allow anyone to harm us, and we will humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us,” Abiy Ahmed said.
“We will not negotiate with anyone over the sovereignty and dignity of Ethiopians,” he added.
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In recent weeks, Ethiopia accused certain actors of attempting to “destabilise the region” after Egypt sent military equipment to Somalia, following the signing of a military cooperation agreement between Cairo and Mogadishu. Under the pact, Egypt also offered to send troops to Somalia as part of a new African Union-led mission, set to replace the current peacekeeping force ATMIS next year. Ethiopia is a key contributor to ATMIS, which aids Somalia in its fight against the extremist group Al-Shabaab.
Tensions with Somalia have escalated due to a January agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which grants Ethiopia access to a long-coveted sea outlet. Somalia views this as an infringement on its territorial integrity. The deal allows Ethiopia to lease 20 kilometres (12 miles) of Somaliland’s coastline for 50 years to build a naval base and commercial port. In return, Somaliland claims that Ethiopia has agreed to formally recognise its independence, although this has not been confirmed by Addis Ababa.
Efforts by Turkiye to mediate indirect talks between Ethiopia and Somalia have so far yielded little progress.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence in 1993 but remains unrecognised by Somalia and the international community. Meanwhile, tensions with Egypt continue to simmer over Ethiopia’s construction of the GERD, which Cairo argues threatens its access to the vital Blue Nile waters.