Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, has accused Ethiopia of “flagrantly violating” Somalia’s territorial integrity following Ethiopia’s unexpected announcement of plans to lease a portion of coastline from the self-declared breakaway region of Somaliland.
The region has been on high alert since January when Ethiopia announced its intention to construct a naval base and commercial port in the area. As a landlocked country, Ethiopia has long sought access to the sea, but the move has infuriated Somalia, which does not recognise Somaliland’s 1991 declaration of independence, a claim that has seen little international recognition.
At the UN General Assembly, Barre condemned Ethiopia’s actions: “Ethiopia’s attempt to annex part of Somalia under the guise of securing sea access is both unlawful and unnecessary,” he said.
In response, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Taye Atske Selassie, dismissed Barre’s accusations, stating that similar agreements have been made by other nations and that Somalia’s criticism was an attempt to deflect attention from internal political issues.
Somalia has threatened to expel Ethiopian troops who have been part of an African Union mission fighting Al-Shabaab militants since 2007. Mogadishu also recently signed a military pact with Cairo, which has sent weapons shipments to Somalia, a move that has raised concerns in Ethiopia over potential arms falling into Al-Shabaab’s hands.
As the African Union mission undergoes changes at the end of the year, Egypt has offered to replace Ethiopian forces in Somalia for the first time. Additionally, Somalia may demand the withdrawal of an estimated 10,000 Ethiopian troops stationed along the Somali-Ethiopian border.