The situation in Ethiopia poses a threat to the Horn of Africa and US national interest

[Deeq A.]

Under Abiy Ahmed Ethiopia has embraced the rejectionist position of Al-shabaab regarding the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Garowe (PP Editorial) —The Executive Order of the Government of the United States issued on 6 September 2024 mentions that the situation in Northern Ethiopia threatens “the peace, security, and stability of Ethiopia and the greater Horn of Africa region, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.” The Ethiopian government has undermined the Pretoria Agreement. The conflict in the Amhara and Oromo regions, and the violation of the sovereignty of Somalia after Ethiopia signed a maritime Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland administration, a secessionist entity, indicate that Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, is trying to ride two horses simultaneously: to claim Ethiopian exceptionalism in Africa when his regime gets criticised for human rights violations, and to show utter disregard for the rule-based global order.

 “In the Iraq War, I fought with them. I was the one who would send intelligence from this part of the world to the N.S.A., on Sudan and Yemen and Somalia. The N.S.A. knows me. I would fight and die for America” Abiy Ahmed told the New Yorker in September 2022. By divulging how the former EPRDF regime shared intelligence with the USA, Abiy Ahmed proved himself to be an unreliable leader who betrays friends for personal reasons.

“…the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14046 of September 17, 2021, must continue in effect beyond September 17, 2024. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14046 with respect to Ethiopia” reads the Executive Order issued by President Joe Biden last week.

 USA and the International Partners of Somalia invest time and resources  in rebuilding Somali institutions at the federal government and federal member state levels to counter the threat of transnational terrorism exemplified by Al-Shabaab. That the Ethiopian government embraced the rejectionist position of Al-Shabaab regarding the sovereignty of Somalia is a cause for concern given that Ethiopia maintains a peacekeeping force within ATMIS in Somalia. The international community has a moral obligation to treat as a spoiler the leader of any country who violates the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, a country that is recovering from state collapse and a civil war.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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