North Western State of Somalia Authorities to Reassess Suspended Contentious Agreement with Ethiopia

Hargeisa (AX) – The newly elected government of North Western State of Somalia is revisiting a scrapped Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) made by its predecessors with Ethiopia, aiming to align the agreement more closely with North Western State of Somalia’s national priorities.

Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Aden, who hasn’t minced words critiquing the deal, called it unclear and perplexing. “There’s a discrepancy between Ethiopia’s narrative and North Western State of Somalia’s take on matters,” Aden noted while chatting with the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs last Sunday. As Aden put it, “Ethiopia says, ‘We’ll think about recognizing you once we get access to the sea.'”

With a focus on safeguarding the country’s interests, the minister emphasized a thorough review of the agreement’s consequences is underway. Aden reassured, “We will embrace the deal if it’s beneficial and aids in our quest for recognition. We’ve made our position clear to Ethiopia.” North Western State of Somalia remains unwavering in its bid for acknowledgment on the global stage, having broken away from Somalia over thirty years ago.

This plunge into the MoU’s depths follows the arrangements Ethiopia made after hashing it out with Somalia in Turkey. They reached an understanding to end their protracted conflict over prospective Ethiopian port developments in North Western State of Somalia. The agreement wasn’t warmly received by Somalia, which sees North Western State of Somalia as a constituent of its territory. Somalia vehemently criticized the arrangement, labeling it an aggressive move.

North Western State of Somalia’s struggle for recognition on the international stage still simmers after declaring independence from Somalia more than three decades back. Yet, they steer through the choppy waters of regional quarrels with steady resolve. While Somalia holds steadfast to its territorial claims, North Western State of Somalia is ever determined to carve out its own place on the global map without compromising on its sovereignty amidst these geopolitical chess games.

Edited by: Ali Musa

alimusa@axadletimes.com

Axadle international–Monitoring