Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU gains support from Somali Region leaders amid tensions

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Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU gains support from Somali Region leaders amid tensions

ADDIS ABABA (HORN OBSERVER) – President Mustafe Mohamed of the Somali region in Ethiopia and Engineer Mohamed Shale, the regional head of the ruling Prosperity Party, voiced their support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signe

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Mustafe Mohamed, president of Somali region (left) Engineer Mohamed Shale, head of Somali Prosperity Party (right) (Photo:ENA)

ADDIS ABABA (HORN OBSERVER) – President Mustafe Mohamed of the Somali region in Ethiopia and Engineer Mohamed Shale, the regional head of the ruling Prosperity Party, voiced their support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) recently signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland.

In a press conference on Friday, President Mustafe Mohamed emphasized that the agreement aims to strengthen development and foster good neighborliness between the two nations.

"The deal, which involves Ethiopia acquiring a military base and commercial maritime services through a principle of mutual benefit, promotes good neighborliness and contributes to healing our country’s brokenness without causing harm to others,” President Mustafe Mohamed stated.

He specifically highlighted the MoU’s importance to the pastoralists of the Somali region, noting that it would diversify markets for their livestock.

Similarly, Engineer Mohamed Shale, the regional head of the ruling Prosperity Party, underscored that the Ethiopia-Somaliland deal aligns with Ethiopia’s long-standing national interest of gaining access to the sea. He emphasized the economic benefits of the MoU, including the reduction of port service costs, and stressed that the agreement was made with consideration for not violating the rights of neighboring countries.

"The primary beneficiaries of the MoU are the people of the Somali region,” Engineer Mohamed Shale asserted, calling on them to collaborate with party members and officials to address any confusion surrounding the agreement.

Despite the positive reception within the Somali region, the MoU, signed on January 1, 2024, has led to tensions in the region. Somalia views the deal as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, prompting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to sign a law nullifying the agreement.

In response to the growing tensions, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for an extraordinary meeting of its member states’ heads of state and government on January 18, 2024, in Uganda, aiming to de-escalate the situation between Ethiopia and Somalia.