Somalia condemns Ethiopia over illegal arms shipments

[Deeq A.]

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The government of Somalia has strongly condemned the unauthorized shipment of arms and ammunition from Ethiopia into the northern region of Puntland.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation termed this act a “serious violation” of the sovereignty of Somalia and warned of implications for national and regional security.

In a strongly worded statement, the government of Somalia revealed that two lorries carrying weapons crossed into Puntland from Ethiopia without prior diplomatic clearance. “This act constitutes a clear violation of the territorial sovereignty of Somalia,” the ministry said on Friday.

The incident has set off alarm bells in Mogadishu, which views this as part of a bigger pattern of illegal movement of arms across the border.

Recurring violations from Ethiopia

On its part, the government of Somalia was angry over the most blatant violation of international law when Ethiopia itself violated it.

It mentioned that there were other reports of weapons shipments to other regions in Somalia, particularly in Galmudug, and another cache flown into Baidoa.

“This latest incident mirrors previous unauthorized arms shipments from Ethiopia,” the government said. Such repeated activities show utter disregard for the sovereignty of Somalia.

These repeated violations have come to shake any element of stability in this already fragile region that bears the presence of a number of armed factions and militant groups.

Ethiopia’s actions have raised questions over its commitment to regional stability; such arms smuggling could further inflame tensions in Somalia, a country still recovering from decades of civil war and battling insurgencies such as the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.

Appeal for restraint and international intervention

In the wake of these violations, Somalia once more calls upon an immediate cessation of unauthorized arms shipments from Ethiopia.

The government of Somalia calls upon regional and international partners to join in condemnation; both countries should collaborate with the international community to ensure that peace and stability are maintained in the Horn of Africa.

To this end, Somalia has reiterated its commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomatic dialogue and cooperation structures. The Federal Republic of Somalia reaffirms its commitment to the resolution of problems through diplomatic dialogue,” it said in a statement from the ministry.

It underlined that dialogue and cooperation remained the key tenets of Somalia’s foreign policy, notwithstanding the provocation.

Ethiopia-Somalia tensions increased

These unauthorized shipments of arms follow heightened tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, which have made their relations even more difficult.

The tensions between the two Horn of Africa states have been critical since January this year when Ethiopia signed a controversial deal over maritime matters with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia not acknowledged by the international community.

The MoU signed in March this year will see Ethiopia, a landlocked country, obtain access to the sea after it takes up 20 kilometers of Somaliland coastline for 50 years.

This access is designed to be used both for military and commercial purposes, meaning a naval base and a commercial port that is to be built by Ethiopia.

To the contrary, Somalia labeled the deal as an attack on its sovereignty. Mogadishu has long argued that Somaliland, declared independent in 1991, has no authority to negotiate such agreements, especially those involving national borders and access to Somali waters.

The deal was seen as a violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and increased the distrust between the two nations.

Turkey’s role in mediating in the Horn of Africa

As tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia increase, Turkey has stepped in as a mediator, hosting various rounds of discussions in order to ease tensions.

Ankara, which has close relations with both Somalia and Ethiopia, launched shuttle diplomacy between the two governments to iron out their differences.

Turkey so far has hosted two rounds of talks—one in July and one in August. A third round that was due in September was postponed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the decision to postpone them was taken as a lesson from the previous discussions. Instead, Turkey held separate meetings with Somali and Ethiopian officials to bring their positions closer.

Fidan sounded optimistic over the chances of resolution of the issue by saying, “I believe we brought the parties closer to a certain degree. Hopefully, we will continue this. I am hopeful.” The Turkish foreign minister is expected to continue trying to mediate between the two nations in finding a diplomatic solution to the growing dispute.

The Somaliland-Ethiopia deal and its implications

Under the January agreement, Ethiopia stands to gain a strategic foothold on the coast, giving access to international trade routes, something essential for one of the world’s largest landlocked countries.

Addis Ababa was attracted to securing access to ports because of the constraints it has acted under since its loss of access to Eritrean ports after the two went to war between 1998 and 2000. Currently, Ethiopia relies on Djibouti for its sea trade.

The deal with Ethiopia gives Somaliland its chance to reinforce its bid for reception by the international community.

Somaliland’s bid to allow Ethiopia to lease its coastline is a calculated strategy of buying Ethiopian support, as it pursues formal recognition as an independent state. The latter does not, though, overtly declare that it intends to grant any such official recognition, and the situation is delicately poised.

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