U.S. rejects Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal, urges diplomacy with Somalia

Monday September 16, 2024


U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Mike Hammer, during a diplomatic meeting in Mogadishu, discussing the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.

Mogadishu (HOL) — The United States has officially rejected the port access deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland, calling for a diplomatic resolution to the escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia. The U.S. stance, declared over the weekend by Ambassador Richard Riley, emphasizes the importance of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which Washington claims the deal undermines. Riley also revealed that U.S. diplomatic efforts are underway to defuse the situation.

"We are very much aware and working collaboratively to ensure a diplomatic resolution of this current situation," Riley said in Mogadishu. "We do not recognize [the MoU] and are trying to solve it through diplomatic channels."

The agreement, which grants Ethiopia access to Somaliland's Red Sea coastline, has sparked a diplomatic rift. Somalia sees this as an infringement on its sovereignty, given that Somaliland, though self-declared independent since 1991, is still considered by Mogadishu to be part of its territory. In response, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has warned that Somalia might consider supporting Ethiopian rebel groups if Ethiopia moves forward with the agreement. "The option to have contacts with armed rebels in Ethiopia...is a door open to us," Fiqi said on September 12.

In a firm statement reinforcing U.S. foreign policy in the Horn of Africa, U.S. Special Envoy Mike Hammer emphasized Washington's commitment to Somalia, saying: "Let me state unequivocally that the United States supports Somalia's territorial sovereignty, integrity, and unity, and we've made that very clear." 
"There is no reason that these two countries should have difficulties that can't be resolved again through conversations. But again, both countries need to accept the basic principles outlined frankly by the AU charter, which is affirmation and recognition in understanding each other's territorial sovereignty, integrity and unity," Hammer told reporters at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU marks a flashpoint in a region fraught with historical animosities. Ethiopia and Somalia have a long history of conflict, including wars in the 1970s and 1980s. Relations have improved in the subsequent decades, with Ethiopia playing a role in supporting Somali governments through initiatives like the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). However, the recent deal has renewed old tensions. Ethiopia's deputy permanent representative to the African Union, Nebiyu Tedla, criticized Somalia's stance, accusing Somali officials of "hollow nationalism" that threatens to undermine years of progress.

The rift has been exacerbated by Ethiopia's concerns over Somalia's increasing security ties with Egypt. Ethiopia, embroiled in its own regional disputes with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project, views Somalia's alliances with Cairo as a threat. Ethiopian military aircraft recently delivered aid to Somalia, raising alarm in Addis Ababa about possible Egyptian influence in the region. Ethiopia has formally relayed its concerns to the United States about the potential deployment of Egyptian troops to Somalia, particularly in the wake of ATMIS ending in late 2024.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer has been actively involved in mediation efforts. During a visit to Addis Ababa on Friday, Hammer stressed the need for dialogue between Ethiopia and Somalia, urging both countries to adhere to the African Union's principles of territorial integrity. "There is no reason these two countries should have difficulties that can't be resolved through conversations," Hammer stated, highlighting the shared threat of al-Shabab as a common ground for cooperation.

The U.S. is also concerned about the wider regional implications of the Ethiopia-Somalia dispute. The possibility of both nations supporting each other's insurgent groups harks back to the 1970s and 1980s when Ethiopia and Somalia respectively backed rebels fighting against each other's governments, contributing to prolonged instability in the Horn of Africa.

Ethiopia's current predicament is complicated by internal strife, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions, where ongoing conflicts have caused widespread humanitarian crises. Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie has called for a de-escalation of regional tensions while maintaining Ethiopia's firm stance against foreign troop deployments in Somalia. 

Somalia, on the other hand, views the MoU as a direct challenge to its territorial sovereignty. In recent interviews, Foreign Minister Fiqi expressed concerns that Ethiopia's actions could lead Somalia to consider measures that it has so far refrained from taking, such as supporting active Ethiopian insurgency movements. However, he emphasized that this is a path Somalia prefers to avoid, favouring diplomatic avenues for resolution.

Despite prior attempts, efforts to resolve the dispute have been unsuccessful. Ethiopia and Somalia were scheduled to meet in Ankara later this week for another round of talks to find a diplomatic solution. However, that meeting has been postponed. The U.S. remains cautiously optimistic, with Ambassador Riley and Special Envoy Hammer reiterating their commitment to fostering dialogue.