Somalia has issued an ultimatum to Ethiopia, demanding the neighboring country abandon its sea access deal with Somaliland by the end of this month, according to comments made by Hussein Sheikh Ali, Somalia’s National Security Adviser, to The New Humanitarian.
Ali indicated that the continued military cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia, including the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia, hinges on Ethiopia’s decision regarding the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland.
The MoU, signed earlier this year, aims to provide landlocked Ethiopia with sea access through Somaliland, a region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but is not internationally recognized. The agreement has sparked significant controversy, with Somalia viewing it as a violation of its sovereignty.
Ethiopia’s pursuit of sea access through Somaliland has been framed as a matter of existential necessity, given its landlocked status since Eritrea’s secession in 1993. However, the deal has met with opposition not just from Somalia but also from regional powers concerned about shifts in geopolitical dynamics.
As the deadline approaches, the situation remains tense, with implications for regional stability and the ongoing fight against extremist groups like Al-Shabaab, where Ethiopian military support has been crucial for Somalia.
At least 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers are stationed in the Horn of Africa country as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission (ATMIS) fighting al Shabaab, which controls large portions of Somalia, while an estimated 5,000-7,000 are stationed in several regions under a bilateral agreement, Reuters reported.
