August 30, 2024
borkena
Toronto – On Thursday, Taye Atske Selassie, Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed the developing situation in Somalia during a press briefing with local and foreign journalists. He described collaboration with what he called hostile forces as “shortsighted and counterproductive,” alluding to the Somali government’s arrangement to deploy 10,000 Egyptian troops in the country.
Mr. Taye further explained that the core objective of Ethiopia’s foreign policy is to strengthen relations with its neighbors. However, it is now public knowledge that relations with Somalia and Eritrea are not on good terms. While the specific reasons behind the deteriorating relationship with Eritrea remain unclear—aside from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s claims about accessing the Red Sea—the tension with Somalia has escalated due to alleged “violations of sovereignty” following a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland.
Turkey has initiated mediation efforts between Ethiopia and Somalia. The first indirect talks took place in Ankara in July, with the second round initially scheduled for September. However, Somalia apparently changed stance about the timing, leading the Turkish Foreign Minister to visit Addis Ababa to address the issue.
The second round of talks occurred earlier this month in Ankara, with a third round planned for early September. Despite these efforts, the Somali government in Mogadishu canceled the scheduled talks and instead opted to sign a military pact with Egypt, permitting the deployment of Egyptian troops in Somalia.
Ethiopia views the deployment of Egyptian forces in Somalia as a national security threat and has stated that it cannot remain idle in the face of these developments. On Thursday, Ethiopia’s new Ambassador to Somaliland presented his credentials to President Muse Bihi. They were accepted.
Ethiopia continues to express a desire to resolve the matter peacefully. During his briefing, Mr. Taye reiterated that progress had been made during the Ankara talks but expressed concern that “provocative comments from certain individuals and hostile forces must not undermine these efforts.”
Despite Ethiopia’s commitment to pursuing a peaceful resolution with Somalia, the situation remains unpredictable, especially with Egypt already deploying more than 10,000 troops in Somalia amid widespread public protests. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has moved its mechanized defense forces to the border with Somalia.
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