- His statement which is likely to cause a diplomatic tiff with Ethiopia comes hours after the ambassador to the country was recalled for "consultations”.
- Somalia has maintained that the deal signed Monday in Addis Ababa between Ethiopia and Somaliland state is null and void.
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Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud has broken his silence over the controversial port deal between Ethiopia and the Somaliland state.
While condemning the agreement as "illegal", Mohamud has accused Ethiopia of infringing on its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This, even as he stated that not an inch of Somalia can or will be signed away by anybody.
"Somalia belongs to the Somali people. This is final," he posted on his official X page.
His statement which is likely to cause a diplomatic tiff with Ethiopia comes hours after the ambassador to the country was recalled for "consultations”.
Somalia has maintained that the deal signed on Monday in Addis Ababa between Ethiopia and Somaliland state is null and void.
In the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Ethiopia officially recognises Somaliland, while Somaliland grants naval and commercial sea access on lease to Ethiopia for 50 years.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali signed the deal.
This historic agreement ensures Ethiopia's access to the sea for their naval forces, reciprocated by formal recognition of Somaliland, marking it a significant diplomatic milestone for the country.
"Today, it is with immense pride that I announce the mutually beneficial agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia. In exchange for 20km sea access for the Ethiopian Naval forces, leased for a period of 50 years,” Abdi said.
Somalia's Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has already said they would defend their territory by “all legal means possible” following Monday's agreement that gives landlocked Ethiopia long-sought-after access to the Red Sea.
Ethiopia currently relies on its neighbouring Djibouti for most of its maritime trade.
Barre, who presided over an extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet Monday, assured the people of Somalia that the government of Somalia is committed to the defense of the country as well as the support of “our land, sea, and our inviolable skies”.
Somaliland, the cabinet said, is part of Somalia under the Somali constitution, and so it finds the step taken by Somaliland as a clear violation against its sovereignty and unity.