Monday July 22, 2024
Ali Mohamed Hassan, also known as Ali Marehan, Minister of Information for Somaliland, during an official announcement about the upcoming Somaliland-Ethiopia agreement. CREDIT: Somaliland MFA
Hargeisa (HOL) — The breakaway Somaliland government has announced that its citizens will soon receive news that will bring them joy and distress. The announcement by Somaliland's Minister of Information, Ali Mohamed Hassan, also known as Ali Marehan, has sparked widespread anticipation.
During a luncheon with members of the Somaliland diaspora, Marehan hinted at the imminent implementation of the Somaliland-Ethiopia agreement. "Good news is coming in the next few weeks, inshallah. What is coming will make the people of Somaliland happy and will upset the enemy. We will be singing the song 'Sanka taag adaa soo dhacsaday waanad sidataaye' (Raise your nose, you have retrieved it, and you carry it)," he said.
The MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland involves Ethiopia gaining sea access and establishing a military base in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland. Despite mounting international pressure, Ethiopia has not officially cancelled the MoU.
Somaliland's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Essa Kayd Mahamud, recently travelled to Ethiopia. Media reports suggest his trip is a precursor to a delegation that will sign the agreement, although the government has not confirmed this. Ethiopia has presented the deal to its parliament, though it has not led to formal recognition of Somaliland.
Somalia has been actively trying to block the agreement by applying diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia. Talks held by the involved parties in Ankara have not yielded success. Relations between Ethiopia and Somalia have deteriorated to their lowest point, while ties between Somaliland and Djibouti are also strained. Djibouti views the Somaliland-Ethiopia agreement as an economic threat, contributing to the tension.