Kenya and Uganda to mediate Ethiopia-Somalia dispute
By Reuters |
The office of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement that Mohamud had met Ruto and Museveni on the sidelines of the summit, but it did not make reference to a potential mediation.
Kenya's President William Ruto said on Saturday he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni would help mediate a dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia, which was threatening the stability of the region.
"Because the security of Somalia... contributes significantly to the stability of our region, and the environment for investors and business people and entrepreneurs to thrive," Ruto told a press conference at the EAC regional heads of state summit.
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Landlocked Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia to fight al Qaeda-linked insurgents, has fallen out with the Mogadishu government over its plans to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland, in exchange for possible recognition of its sovereignty.
The spat has drawn Somalia closer to Egypt, which has quarrelled with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa's construction of a vast hydro dam on the Nile River, and Eritrea, another of Ethiopia's foes.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomes Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Bole International Airport during a previous state visit. (Photo: Handout)
Several attempts to resolve the feud in Ankara, Turkey, have failed to make a breakthrough.
The office of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in a statement that Mohamud had met Ruto and Museveni on the sidelines of the summit, but it did not make reference to a potential mediation.
Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Somalia's foreign minister, told Reuters previous resolutions by regional leaders had fallen on deaf ears in Addis Ababa, but he had confidence ongoing mediation efforts by Turkey would be fruitful.
Ethiopia's government and foreign affairs spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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