Muse Bihi Abdi, the President of Somaliland, asserted that Somaliland will not back down from implementing the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with Ethiopia, despite any opposition or pressure from external parties.
In an interview with the BBC, the president stated, “Nothing has changed; it remains as it was.” Bihi, who leads the self-declared independent state, continued, “Everyone is waiting for when the operational document will be finalized.”
Bihi accused Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of mounting opposition to the agreement, stating, “Hassan Sheikh has launched a campaign against Ethiopia.” He emphasized that the deal was struck between Somaliland and Ethiopia, not with Somalia’s federal government.
“We have been two separate independent countries, two governments, for 34 years. Everyone knows this,” Bihi said, reiterating Somaliland’s claim to sovereignty.
The Somaliland president pointed to escalating regional tensions following the agreement, claiming “a war was planned” and that Egypt’s involvement has complicated matters. He specifically referenced the recent military cooperation agreement between Somalia and Egypt, characterizing it as an attempt to “suppress the Somaliland people’s desire for independence.”
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland, signed in early January 2024, aims to grant Ethiopia sea access in exchange for recognition of Somaliland. Ten months after its signing, the MoU is still awaiting implementation.
In February, Somaliland announced that it was “on course without any wavering, and remains seized” of the MoU’s implementation, appointing a technical team, a group of international legal experts, and a high-level advisory group to guide the process.
In September, Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Essa Kayd, informed international diplomatic missions in Hargeisa that the MoU between Somaliland and Ethiopia “is finalized, and a formal legal agreement is imminent.” However, Ethiopia has largely remained quiet about any practical progress on the MoU.
Somalia has opposed the MoU from the start, escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia. Somalia has strengthened its ties with Ethiopia’s rivals, particularly Egypt and Eritrea, forming what observers describe as an “axis against Ethiopia” to pressure Ethiopia to reconsider its position on the MoU signed with Somaliland.
Addressing the implementation timeline, Bihi attributed delays to standard diplomatic processes rather than external pressure, noting that “international agreements often take years to implement.
Bihi dismissed Somalia’s criticism of the Ethiopia agreement, pointing to existing Ethiopian-Somali ties. “There are many Somalis in Ethiopia, and they even hold positions within the government. So why is Somalia accusing us of signing an agreement with Ethiopia?” he said.
The president further alleged that Egypt is exploiting Somalia in its dispute with Ethiopia over the Nile River. “It’s not right for them to drag Somalia into this regional conflict, considering they have their own problems,” Bihi stated, suggesting that Egypt’s military agreement with Somalia extends beyond the Nile dispute to target Somaliland directly.
“The idea is to use Egypt by signing a security agreement with them and then using them against Somaliland,” Bihi claimed, adding that “Egypt has its own problems and won’t benefit from this situation.”
Bihi, who is seeking re-election in November 2024, expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with Somalia, provided there is recognition of Somaliland’s claimed independence. “If President Hassan recognizes that we are two separate governments and is interested in dialogue with us, that would be good,” he said.
