Somalia President: “Ethiopia can no longer host the African Union HQ”

[Deeq A.]

President Mohamud: “Between Somalia and Ethiopia, there is a long history predominantly characterised by hostility.“

Mogadishu (PP News Desk) — The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today stated that Ethiopia should not retain the privilege of hosting the headquarters of the African Union while Addis Ababa violates the Charter of the organisation. “Between Somalia and Ethiopia, there is a long history predominantly characterised by hostility. Somalia had expected a new chapter of cooperation to emerge, but Ethiopia’s actions have undermined the progress made by taking steps to violate the political and territorial unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” President Mohamud told the bicameral legislature.

In January 2024, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, signed a maritime Memorandum of Understanding with the President of the secessionist administration in Northern Somalia.

President Mohamud accused Ethiopia of attempting to annex a territory of the Federal Republic of Somalia. “The [British] colonial administration allowed Ethiopia to annex Somali territories, and yet Ethiopia now wants to annex territory belonging to [an independent] Somalia,” he added.

Ethiopia hosts the headquarters of the African Union.

In January 2024, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, signed a maritime Memorandum of Understanding with the President of the secessionist Somaliland administration Muse Bihi Abdi to set up a naval base in the Awdal region on a fifty-year lease. This maritime MoU was preceded by a defence pact signed by the Somali Defence Minister with his counterpart in Addis Ababa in December 2023.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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