Somalia expels Ethiopian ambassador in port deal dispute

Somalia President Hassan Mohamud receives credentials of Ambassador of Ethiopia to Somalia Muktar Mohamed Ware on March 14, 2023. File Photo :X/Thevillasomalia

By Hanifa Adan
Thursday, April 4, 2024

The diplomatic rift deepens against the backdrop of a recent meeting between Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mesganu Arga, and Mohammed Farah Mohammed, Puntland's regional Finance Minister on Wednesday.

Somalia has ordered Ethiopia's ambassador in Mogadishu, Muktar Mohamed Ware to leave the country within 72 hours and has further closed two consulates in Puntland and Somaliland, escalating diplomatic tensions.

Somalian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Ali Omar Balad confirmed the decision.

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In a press statement issued by Somalia's Foreign Ministry, the Ethiopian consulates in Hargeisa and Garowe are to be closed within seven days.

"In light of recent developments and adherence to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, announces the initiation of several diplomatic measures. This decision follows the resolution passed by the council of ministers in response to the actions of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, which infringe upon Somalia’s sovereignty and internal affairs," the press statement read.

Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nebiyu Tedla, expressed a lack of information on the matter, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the situation.

The expulsion of the ambassador and closure of consulates have sparked concerns regarding the fate of 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers stationed in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission combating militants from al Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliate, according to insights from diplomats and analysts.

The diplomatic rift deepens against the backdrop of a recent meeting between Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mesganu Arga, and Mohammed Farah Mohammed, Puntland's regional Finance Minister on Wednesday.

The discussions aimed to explore collaborative opportunities spanning trade, investment, energy cooperation, and joint infrastructure projects, to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

However, the timing of the meeting, viewed by many as provocative, coincided with Puntland State's announcement of withdrawing recognition from Somalia's federal government and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

This move followed Puntland's criticism of Mogadishu's decision to amend the federal constitution, which was deemed illegitimate and non-inclusive. According to local media reports, Puntland asserted recognition only of the 2012 version of the constitution, highlighting underlying political tensions within Somalia.

Despite the diplomatic strains, Puntland officials maintain regular communication with senior members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) to address cross-border security issues.

Previous engagements, such as the meeting in August 2022 between President Said Abdullahi Deni, Vice President Ahmed Ilmi Osman Karash, and high-ranking Ethiopian army officials at the presidential palace in Garowe, heightened the complexity of security dynamics in the semi-autonomous state where Ethiopian troops are stationed.

The Ethiopian Consulate General in Garowe stated that the discussion primarily focused on "security cooperation, particularly in the fight against terrorism.