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NEP MPs condemn Ethiopia for violating Somalia's territorial integrity

MPs Farah Maalim (Daadab), Adan Keynan (Eldas), Salah Yakub (Fafi) and Mohamed Hussein Abdikadir (Lagdera) at Parliament buildings on January 4, 2024.

By Dennis Tarus | Thursday, January 4, 2024

A section of Members of Parliament from the North Eastern region have expressed their concern over the recent Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland that has stoked tensions in the Horn of Africa.

A section of Members of Parliament from the North Eastern region have expressed their concern over the recent Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland that has stoked tensions in the Horn of Africa.

The MPs who include Adan Keynan (Eldas), Farah Maalim (Daadab), Salah Yakub (Fafi) and Mohamed Hussein Abdikadir (Lagdera), termed Ethiopia's move as a breach of the territorial integrity and abuse of the political independence of the State of Somalia.

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"Ethiopia is a signatory to the UN Charter, The African Union Constitutive Act, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and several other international treaties that regulate the conduct and relations between nations as such, we find it bizarre that it has chosen to act conscientiously," the MPs said during a media briefing on Thursday.

The lawmakers said Ethiopia had no powers to lease land or a seaport within Somalia's territory and that only the State of Somalia has the state instruments to grant the same under international Law.

"It is our considered view that Ethiopia is well aware of its jurisdictional confines, the historical animosity between the nations of Ethiopia and Somalia is a matter of public notoriety," they said.

"Having realised the major steps taken by the Somalia government and its people towards a more social political and social cohesion is merely laying the foundation for sowing seeds of discord and animosity amongst the Somali People to advance a selfish course."

The MPs urged the Somaliland region's actions on the MoU was merely provisional adding that it won't assure the establishment of diplomatic relations with other nations.

"We therefore advise them to operate within the confines of International Law and desist from any acts that would stifle relations between our Somali People," the MPs said.

The legislators also called on the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations to urgently institute measures for cessation of hostilities and call for an urgent end to the provocation by the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and immediate cancellation of the MoU.

The deal, signed in Addis Ababa by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi, has been touted as a crucial step toward fulfilling Ethiopia's longstanding ambition to secure access to the sea and to have a seaport of its own in the Red Sea.

The Somali Government has since described the agreement as "null and void" and lacking legal basis, terming Ethiopia's actions as a "blatant aggression" that infringes upon Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.