Somaliland Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Dr. Essa Kayd, Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed the international diplomatic missions in Hargeisa today, providing updates on significant regional issues.
The Ministry said Dr. Essa Kayd informed the diplomats he met with that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Somaliland and Ethiopia “is finalized, and a formal legal agreement is imminent.”
This is the second major statement about the MoU from Somaliland after its announcement in February this year that Somaliland was “on course without any wavering, and remain seized” of the implementation of the MoU, and that a technical team, a team of international legal experts and a high-level advisory group to advise and guide the process has been appointed.
Although Ethiopia has since been largely quiet about any practical progress on the MoU, in a resolution issued in January, members of both the Executive and the Central Committee of the ruling Prosperity Party (PP) said that the party has decided to bring the MoU “to a practical agreement” while simultaneously giving attention to the principles of give and take to secure additional options to port access with other neighboring countries. The ruling party maintained the MoU was a testament to “Ethiopia’s position for regional economic and cultural ties.”
The signing of the MoU on 01 January 2024, granting Ethiopia access to the sea in return for international recognition for Somaliland, has escalated tensions in neighboring Somalia, which argued that the MoU “violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Two rounds of talks facilitated by Türkiye aimed at easing tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia have concluded without an outcome. The tensions between the two neighboring countries have since peaked momentum, leaving a trace of doubts on the likelihood of a third round of talk.
Egyptian forces in Somalia
During the briefing today, Dr. Kayd also expressed the Somaliland government’s deep concerns regarding the presence of Egyptian military forces in neighboring Somalia.
In July this year, Somalia’s cabinet formally approved the implementation of a defense agreement with Egypt, finalizing a deal shrouded in secrecy since its signing in January 2024.
Egypt has last month sent military officers and heavy equipment to Mogadishu, Somalia as part of a bigger deployment that media reports said could involve up to 10,000 Egyptian soldiers in Somalia. The move was met with a warning from the Ethiopian government that the transition from the African Union transition mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to a new peace support mission is “fraught with dangers” to the region.
Ethiopia also warned that it “cannot stand idle while other actors are taking measures to destabilize the region.” Ethiopia is vigilantly monitoring developments in the region that could threaten its national security, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Egypt’s decision to deploy its forces further complicated not only regional dynamics, but also relations within Somali political actors. This week, Somali MPs from the South West State opposed the deal between Somalia and Egypt, warning it could lead to a “dangerous situation” in the region.
The MPs issued a statement calling for careful consideration of international agreements. They warned that certain agreements could “bring the ‘Nile issue’ to Somalia” and potentially “lead to a war in the Horn of Africa.”
Dr. Kayd told the diplomatic mission today that the deployment of Egyptian forces in Somalia “is contributing to proxy conflicts in the region.”
Earlier today, Dr. Kayd announced that the Somaliland government “has decided to permanently close the “Egyptian Cultural Library” in Hargeisa due to serious security concerns. All staff have been ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.” AS
