The Ethiopian government has denied reports that it withdrew from the Red Sea agreement signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year.
The Office of the Ethiopian Prime Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday that social media reports circulating about a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Somaliland are fake.
“Official communications regarding local, regional, and international matters are only disseminated through the PMO’s official channels. We urge everyone to remain vigilant against such fake content that misuses our official logo,” the post read.
A statement letter with the logo of the Ethiopian Prime Minister circulated on social media on Tuesday, claiming that the Ethiopian government decided to cancel the MOU with Somaliland after consulting with many countries, including the UK and all members of the G7.
Tensions are rising between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu, fueled by an agreement signed in January between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia. Ethiopia agreed to formally recognize Somaliland in exchange for 20 kilometers of access to the Red Sea for Ethiopian naval forces, leased for 50 years.
