Ethiopia Laughs Off Somalia’s Outrage Over North Western of SomaliaPact, Calling It ‘Ridiculous’

FILE – Nebiyu Tedla, Ethiopia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the African Union, speaks at a press conference in Addis Ababa.

Another day in Mogadishu (AX) – Ethiopia’s diplomat, Nebiyu Tedla, had a few choice words for recent statements made by Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi. Tedla called Fiqi’s warning about Somalia potentially aligning with Ethiopian opposition factions, including the TPLF, downright “ridiculous.” This friction emerged after Ethiopia cozied up to Somaliland, an autonomous region dreaming of independence from Somalia.

“It’s absurd to see agents of Al-Shabaab masquerading as officials who waddle ineffectively beyond Banadir, spewing empty nationalism fueled by narrow clan interests,” Tedla ranted on his X account. “Such theatrics jeopardize years of progress and steer Somalia towards chaos.” He accused Fiqi of putting clan interests above national advancements, further straining diplomatic ties between the neighbors.

Tedla’s critique came on the heels of Fiqi’s caution that Somalia might back Ethiopian rebels if Addis Ababa persists with actions Somalia finds hostile, particularly its agreement with Somaliland. Speaking to Universal TV, Fiqi mentioned that Somalia was weighing its options, including collaborating with armed groups opposed to Ethiopia’s government.

Fiqi underlined that while partnering with these factions remains an option, Somalia hasn’t pulled the trigger just yet. His statements spotlighted Ethiopia’s pact with Somaliland, a deal sparking significant discord. As part of the agreement, Ethiopia acknowledges Somaliland’s independence in return for a 50-year lease on 20 kilometers of coastline for a naval base. Somalia denounced this deal as a breach of its sovereignty. In retaliation, Somalia forged a defense and security pact with Egypt, Ethiopia’s strategic adversary, escalating tensions further. Reports of Egyptian military planes delivering supplies to Mogadishu have aggravated Ethiopia’s fears of Egypt getting a military foothold in Somalia post-ATMIS in December 2024.

Stepping in to cool the simmering tensions, Mike Hammer, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, engaged Ethiopian officials for a chinwag on regional security. Hammer stressed U.S. support for Somalia’s territorial integrity and implored both nations to unite against Al-Shabaab.

Despite prior diplomatic endeavors, peace talks have thus far hit a wall. A third round of discussions, initially planned for later this week in Ankara, is now on hold.