Adem Farah, Head of the Coordination Center for the Development of Democracy with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, and Vice President of Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party (PP), said that President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recent statements and speeches “deny the reality on the ground, go against good neighborliness.”
In a statement the ruling party’s second in rank issued yesterday, he said that “the Ethiopian government is always ready to cooperate with neighboring countries to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
Ethiopia and Somalia share a border of nearly 1,700 km and have a common culture, language, and religion. Our country believes that this is an unchangeable truth, not subject to reinterpretation by historical narratives. Recognizing that Somalia’s peace and stability are crucial for its development and prosperity, Ethiopia has made significant efforts to stand in solidarity with Somalia, embracing the idea of growing together, Adem said.
“Despite this fact, we have observed that the recent statements and speeches made by the President of Somalia are far from reality, do not reflect the history of the ties between the two peoples, deny the reality on the ground, and go against good neighborliness and the common interests of the people of the two countries”, Adem further said.
His statement came in the backdrop of a televised speech last Saturday by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud asserting that Somalia refuses to negotiate any issue with Ethiopia until the latter recognizes its “sovereignty.”
“We will not negotiate on any matter until Ethiopia acknowledges Somalia’s sovereignty and status as an independent neighboring country,” President Mohamud stated.
His remarks followed the second round of talks held in Ankara, mediated by Türkiye, which was aimed at easing the diplomatic tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia over a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the former signed in January this year with Somaliland. The MoU has generated backlash from the government of neighboring Somalia and subsequent diplomatic rows, which is what Türkiye is planning to mediate.
President Mohamud ruled out the possibility of third-round talks and said: “We have concluded from the Ankara talks that Ethiopia is unwilling to accept Somalia’s sovereignty and independent status. Until this is resolved, there will be no discussions on the seaport or any other issues, as this challenges international law.”
According to Adem, who hails from the Somali region of Ethiopia, “another truth that needs to be acknowledged is that the people of the Somali National Regional Government are working to build their region as part of Ethiopia, where their political, social, and economic rights and interests are respected, and where sustainable peace and universal prosperity are guaranteed for all Ethiopians within the united federal system that our country follows.”
He further stated that speeches of responsible politicians should always be fair, enduring, and beneficial to the people of the region, strengthening bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood and supporting the peace and stability of the Horn of Africa, where the Somali people play a central role.
“I urge the elites and the entire people of Somalia to do their part in ending actions and rhetoric that go against the long-term interests of the region’s people and the relations between our two countries, whose futures are closely intertwined,” Adem said. AS