Mogadishu (WDN)- Following Ethiopia’s high level delegation which requested mediation between Somalia and Ethiopia, in May 2024, Turkish foreign Minister Hakan Fidan convened the two foreign ministers of respective countries in Ankara between July 1 and 2 of this year. Although the two sides did not meet face to face but talked through the office of the ministry of foreign affairs of Turkiya, one hurdle seems to be removed – that talks are possible in the future with correcting past infringements. The main achievement of the talks is that the two sides agreed to continue to talk more – next meeting is scheduled to be on September 2, 2024, and resolve their issues through diplomacy.
Despite Somalia and Ethiopia enjoying a moderately warm relationship in the last one decade, the region’s stability is at best precarious. The MOU signed between Ethiopia and the unrecognized breakaway region of Somaliland on January 1, 2024, has cast a new cloud of potential conflicts between these two neighbors with substantive historical mistrust.
Somalia calls the MOU an illegal instrument that violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity when seen through the lenses of the UN, AU, Arab League, Islamic Conference, IGAD, EU, and EAC. Addis Ababa is accused by Somalia of following the jungle law. Given what the current administration has done to its people, the political practice of Addis Ababa should worry anyone who pays attention to peace, stability, human rights issues, and the rule of law. In defiance of all international laws including UNCLOS, AU’s principle of non-interference, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of member states, and other UN laws, Prime Minster Abiy’s regime thus far earned worldwide scorn and rebuke for its egregious action against Somalia.
Regarding the MOU, the US President Biden’s national security communication advisor John Kirby, called it a troubling development and “a threat to US national interest,” for the very reason that the US spent billions of dollars to help restore stability in the region. Irked by Ethiopia’s adventurist politics devoid of diplomacy, undersecretary for Africa Affairs, Molly Phee said respecting sovereignty of other states is “the bread and butter” of international diplomacy, which Ethiopia egregiously and maliciously trumped.
With Ethiopia approaching Türkiye to mediate and start talks afresh, a positive outcome was expected. After two engaging rounds of negotiation with Türkiye’s extraordinary patience and the able skills of foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the Ethiopian delegation is reported to have ultimately torpedoed the talks.
Sources close to the talks told WardheerNews that Ethiopia doubled it down on its infraction and sought to coerce unrealistic concessions from Somalia. According to reliable sources, Ethiopia is no longer seeking commercial access to the sea but “presence in Somalia’s waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.” This is a surprise to all in that Ethiopia is no longer talking about “access to the sea,” but owning “military presence” in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
Alas, Somalia again reiterated its legally sound position, that any agreement concerning Somalia’s sea, air, and ground must be done with the federal Somali Government, a position repeatedly articulated by that country’s president. Ethiopia’s violation of its neighbors territorial integrity inadvertently helped the recent meteoric recruitment of new militia for Alshabab.
Diplomatic sources close to the talks said during the two-day talks in Ankara, Somalia proved to be the constructive adult in the house, whereas her nemesis constantly filibustered the talks.
One cannot avoid but to ask why were surprised by Ethiopia’ lack of good will In the last minutes of closing the talks, they changed their minds of why they were there so many times and finally surprised all by suggesting that their government is no longer interested in “access to the sea” but “presence” in Somalia”s Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,” implying that it needs military base in Somalia’s seas waters. Yet, Prime Minister Abiy told his rubber stamp parliament today – July 4 – only 2 days after the ankara meeting – that he is after “access to the sea.!” Abiy seems to treat the world with a bowel full of lies, deceit, and infractions of international law.
One of Ethiopia’s most popular online broadcasting entities, Ethioforum, blamed Addis Ababa’s failure to conduct constructive talks on Mr. Gedion Simon, attorney general of Ethiopia. If true, Mr. Gedion along with the new national security director to Prime Minister Abiy, Redwan Hussein, are the twin of two evils in Ethiopia’s quagmire – war inside the country and violations of international law. Ethiopia must be amiss the likes of Ketema Yufru, Kiflow Wadajow, Minase Haile, and Goshu Wolde – all not with us or are old but left Ethiopian diplomacy with a towering excellence in diplomatic work.
The government of Turkiye holds a unique position to mediate the two sisterly countries. It has achieved the first diplomatic goal as expressed in the Joint Ankara Statement where phase 2 of the talks will take place on September 2, 2024. There is a slim hope that Turkiye can convince Addis to be a bit more serious on vacating the MOU and negotiating with the Federal Somali Government on the basis of international relations rules. If any sort of deal is reached, then bilateral talks could open new doors for both Mogaishu and Addis Ababa.
WardheerNews
