‘Top Secret’ Talks in Nairobi on Somaliland MoU Saga
Presidents Ismail Omar Guelleh and William Ruto are facilitating “highly confidential” talks in Nairobi in a bid to find a way out for the impasse between Ethiopia and Somalia, sources at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) disclosed to The Reporter. Continue reading “‘Top Secret’ Talks in Nairobi on Somaliland MoU Saga”
Ethiopia Rejects Mogadishu’s Deal on MoU with Somaliland
This week, the Somalia Federal Government took steps to prevent the agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia by approaching external powers to thwart the Somaliland MoU with Ethiopia. Continue reading “Ethiopia Rejects Mogadishu’s Deal on MoU with Somaliland”
Somalia’s Denial of Somaliland Won’t Rewrite the Books
When Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud took the stage at the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa on February 17th, 2024, his harsh criticism of the recent Ethiopia-Somaliland cooperation agreement displayed a short-sighted and counterproductive approach to a complex political issue with deep historical roots. Rather than advancing reconciliation, his remarks entrenched long-held positions and undermined opportunity for constructive engagement between key stakeholders in the Horn of Africa region. Continue reading “Somalia’s Denial of Somaliland Won’t Rewrite the Books”
On January 1st, 2024, Ethiopia and Somaliland announced a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which promises to reconfigure the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa. The MoU grants Ethiopia access to the sea, in which it will lease 20 kilometers of coastline. In return, Ethiopia has agreed to recognize Somaliland, which also is due to receive a stake in Ethiopian Airlines.
This agreement has significant implications for the foreign policy of Ethiopia towards Somalia, as it prioritizes its interests and those of Somaliland over historical ties with Somalia. The deal has been met with opposition from the Somalia government, which has declared it null and void. However, Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that the recognition marks a significant diplomatic milestone for the country. Relevant foreign actors and multilateral organizations have remained cautious in responding to the agreement, refraining from doing anything that might upset the status quo of Somalia’s De Jure authority, while also not explicitly condemning the contents of the agreement.
President Muse Bihi and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Cooperation and Partnership between Somaliland and Ethiopia, granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. During the signing ceremony in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Abiy Ahmed stated, “We have agreed with our Somaliland brothers, and MoU has been signed today,”
President Muse Bihi of Somaliland declared that in accordance with the agreement, Ethiopia would be the first nation to acknowledge Somaliland’s independence in the near future.” By signing this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Somaliland will lease Ethiopia 20 kilometers of its coastline. In return, Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland and receive a stake in Ethiopian Airlines.
This unprecedented agreement, if implemented, promises to alter the status quo of Ethiopia as a landlocked country and Somaliland as a de facto state, two long-pursued goals. The deal constitutes a significant shift in Ethiopia’s foreign policy towards Somalia, with Ethiopia, by formally recognizing Somaliland, signifying that it will prioritize its interests, as well as those of Somaliland, over its historical ties with Somalia.
Shortly after the agreement was reached, Somalia’s government issued a statement declaring the deal null and void because of its alleged violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and unity.
According to Mogadishu, Somaliland is still considered part of Somalia, and any attempt to enter into an agreement with it is unlawful. In a statement released by Somalia, “The Somalia government recognizes Ethiopia’s actions as a blatant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia”. In contrast, Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement avowing that “recognition marks a significant diplomatic milestone for our country”. However, it is important to note that Somaliland and Somalia were two separate sovereign states at the outset of decolonization, prior to their unification under the Somali Republic in 1960, which came to an end in 1991 (historical contextual factors are explained below).
Several multilateral organizations have taken a stance on the issue, including the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), African Union (AU), European Union (EU), Arab League, and Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). While these organizations did not explicitly endorse the annulment of the agreement, they proposed diplomatic dialogue among all stakeholders. This approach supported Somaliland’s case that international recognition should be treated as a regional and international concern, rather than a local issue between Somaliland and Somalia. Major Powers, including the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Egypt, and Italy, also responded to the agreement, reinforcing their commitment to Somalia’s territorial integrity and unity while refraining from condemning the content of the agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
This article explores the relationship between these developments and Somaliland’s evolving approach to acquiring long-awaited international recognition. It argues that the Ethiopian-Somaliland Accord marks a turning point for both countries, with Somaliland poised to achieve international recognition and Ethiopia securing access to the sea. All signs indicate that the two countries are committed to implementing the agreement signed in Addis Ababa on January 1, 2024, and the success of the agreement will determine the future of regional integration and cooperation in the Horn of Africa.
Ilhan Omer is a woman from Southern Somalia who became an American citizen and serves as a representative in the US House for a Minnesota district that is home to a sizable Somali diaspora population.
She traveled to Puntland State in December 2022, where she was born, and the capital of Mogadishu in Southern Somalia. She had never even stepped foot in Somaliland Republic, which was once a part of the Somali Republic after uniting with Southern Somalia.
The Horn of Africa’s reality is very representative of and supportive of Somaliland’s democracy, which dates back to 1991, when it unilaterally broke its union with Southern Somalia and reclaimed its independence.
It is astonishing that Representative Ilhan Omer never mentions Somaliland democracy, much less traveled there while on tour in that region of the Horn of Africa. Ilhan’s actions make it abundantly evident that she does not have a strong sense of loyalty to the American political system and that she strongly believes in clan affiliation, which runs counter to the democratic ideals and values that underpin American democracy.
Ethiopia and Somaliland’s leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Addis Ababa on January 1st, opening the door for Ethiopia to recognize Somaliland in return for access to the Res Sea and the lease of a naval station.
The Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud-led administration in southern Somalia has been furious from day one about this new development. Echoing that sentiment, Southern Somali diaspora in Minneapolis, led by Representative Ilhan Omar, organized a procession and meetings on the 27th of this month to back the president of Somalia’s irrational and emotional responses.
In a multidimensional speech, Ilhan Omar spoke to the community meeting and shared her own views and those sentiments in common with the Southern Somali community.
She opened her address by braising the “Doctrine of Greater Somalia,” which was held during the independence struggles and advocated for the unification of the so-called “Shanta Somaliya or the Five Somalis,”. This kind of thinking runs counter to the UN and African Union charters, as well as the existing internal borders marked out in the Horn of Africa, the African continent, and several other regions of the world.
Ilhan Omar stated that Somalia had to fight for regions that are currently, in her view and that of Southerners, occupied by other nations, referring to the Northern Frontier District (NFD), a Kenyan province, and the Ethiopian Somali state. As a component of what is referred to as Greater Somalia, the representative’s statement also implies that Djibouti should be annexed by Somalia.
In her speech, she indirectly mentioned the MoU between Somaliland and Ethiopia and how she opposes it. When she talked about that deal, without naming Somaliland, she disrespectfully said “those who call or claim themselves to be Somalis” who made an agreement with Ethiopia.
She said that the US government is caving in to the whims and desires of the southern Somali Diaspora, and she is a woman sent to the US House of Representative to represent Somalia, betraying the majority of non-Somali natives who casted their votes to represent them.
Stated differently, I work as a Somali government lobbyist in the US House of Representatives. She disregarded Joe Biden and said that Hassan Sheikh Muhamoud is her president. She urged that all Somalis should unite in their support of Hassan Sheikh. As if she had authority over Somaliland and Ethiopia, she swore that the Memorandum of Understanding between Somaliland and Ethiopia won’t go through during her term in parliament.
The American Somaliland Diaspora, particularly those at Minnesota State, who supported this representative, ought to attentively listen her recent remarks towards and her animosity for Somaliland. In the same token, the Minnesotans in general should open their eye wide and see who represents their state in the US House of Representatives.
Caasimada Online news website said on Saturday that Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed are scheduled to meet on the sidelines during the Italian Summit with African Countries.
Next week is the scheduled date of the summit; eight prime ministers and fifteen presidents have accepted the offer to participate, along with additional African delegates. Among the African leaders who accepted the invitation to the meeting in Italy are Hassan Sheikh of Somalia and Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia.
The leader of Somalia, whose government has accused Ethiopia of plotting to takeover portions of Somalia, will meet for the first time with Ethiopia since its intention to lease navy base along the Red Sea with Somaliland infuriated them.
According to the news outlet, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will hold the meeting on Sunday night in an effort to defuse the tensions, which experts warn might have serious consequences.
As recently as yesterday, the ruling Prosperity Party (PP), led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, announced that the party has resolved to bring the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland “to a practical agreement” while simultaneously paying attention to the principles of give and take to secure additional options to port access with other neighboring countries. This announcement came at the conclusion of four days of meetings by members of both the Executive and the Central Committee.
The Memorandum of Understanding with Somalinad, according to the ruling party, further validates “Ethiopia’s position for regional economic and cultural ties.”
Thus far, based on political maneuvers, it is evident that PM Abiy and his administration are dedicated to seeing this Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland through, irrespective of regional and international diplomatic pressures.
However, the Somali government had previously stated that talks with Ethiopia would not be possible until Ethiopia canceled its deal with Somaliland, which has not yet occurred.
It’s probable that the president of Somalia would be reminded of historical information regarding the merged nations that formed the Somali Republic in 1960 by a former master, colonizer, and administrator.
