Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared that his government will take all necessary measures to prevent Ethiopia from gaining access to the Red Sea at the expense of Somalia's territory.
"[Ethiopia] will not be able to seize a piece of Somalia's independent territory, and we will take all necessary measures to protect it," Bloomberg quoted him as saying.
President Mohamud, seeking international support, addressed parliamentarians before his trip to Eritrea. During the meeting, he urged Somalis living abroad to equally defend the interests of the country alongside their fellow citizens at home.
On January 7, the Somali leader received a high-level delegation from Egypt, expressing Cairo's support for Somalia's territorial integrity. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi extended an invitation for President Mohamud to visit Egypt. Subsequently, on January 8, Mohamud held talks with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The Djiboutian government, on January 9, reaffirmed its support for Somalia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, according to Somalia's SONNA news agency.
The tension arose when, on January 1, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Musa Bihi Abdi signed a memorandum of understanding to secure access to seaports. The agreement stipulates that Somaliland, located northwest of Somalia, will provide 20 kilometers of sea space in exchange for Ethiopia's recognition of independence. Somali authorities view this move as a violation of sovereignty. The memorandum has elicited negative reactions from the Somali government and the Somali community. The international community has pledged support to the Somali government, recognizing its right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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Based on materials from TASS