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Mogadishu slams Ethiopia's bid to silence UN on controversial MoU

A file picture of Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. (Photo: Villa Somalia)

By Hassan Mohamed | Saturday, January 27, 2024

Somalia has dismissed a request by Ethiopian requesting the United Nations Security Council not to discuss its recent illegal MoU with a region in Somalia.

Somalia has dismissed a request by Ethiopian requesting the United Nations Security Council not to discuss its recent illegal MoU with a region in Somalia.

Somalia had referred its complaint to the UNSC against what it terms as Ethiopia’s interference on its sovereignty and territorial integrity by signing an MoU with a region within Somalia without its consent. The MoU gave Ethiopia a 20 km of seashore for commercial and military purposes in return that Ethiopia would recognise Somaliland, a region in Somalia.

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In a letter dated 26 January and addressed to the UNSC which was signed by Amb. Mesganu Arga, Ethiopia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs requested the council not to discuss the MoU since Ethiopia has accepted an ongoing African Union mediation effort to settle the matter.

In the letter, Ethiopia says it believes it has not done any wrong and claims that it had informed Somalia about its MoU with Somaliland which according to Addis Ababa promotes regional peace, economic cooperation and integration and should be a welcome development.

“Ethiopia remains committed and ready to engage with the Special Envoy of the African to the Horn of Africa as stipulated under the Press statement by the African union Peace and Security Council dated 17 January 2024. The matter is now under consideration by the African Union Peace and Security Council. Therefore, Ethiopia believes this matter should not be discussed at the UN Security Council,” the Ethiopian letter to the UNSC read in part.

A senior official at the Somalia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation who did not wish to be named dismissed Ethiopia’s request to the UNSC saying it’s a futile exercise and questioned Ethiopia’s intentions.

“The latest move by Ethiopia to request the UNSC not to discuss its aggression and interference into Somalia’s sovereignty will not change anything and it clearly shows Ethiopia has sinister motives because if they have nothing to hide why don’t they want the UNSC to discuss their illegal MoU with a region in Somalia?” the senior official quipped in an interview with Eastleigh Voice by telephone.

The issue of the MoU has raised tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa. In recent interview to an Arab TV channel, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud dared Ethiopia to implement the agreement.