FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers TRADE AFRICA Election 2026 New TIME REMAINING UNTIL ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL ELECTION 0Days 0Hours 0Minutes 0Seconds

Fortune Logo

In a startling turn of events at the African Union (AU) on Saturday, February 17, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud claimed security forces barred him from the AU's summit venue, sparking a new round of diplomatic furore. In a strongly worded statement released midday, Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded a "credible and independent" inquiry into the events that unfolded in Addis Abeba, describing them as part of a "growing list of erratic actions" by the Ethiopian government. The incident has been deemed both "outrageous" and "provocative" by Somalia, aggravating the already tense relations between the two countries.


Ethiopian authorities denied the allegations. A subsequent statement the Government Communications Services issued claimed security forces have "neither obstructed Somalia's President and his entourage nor barred him from entering the AU's premises."


Tensions have risen between Ethiopian and Somalian leaders since the January 1 announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland. The MoU, which involves a 20-mile stretch of coastline on the Indian Ocean, has been a point of contention, with Somalia maintaining that it infringes upon its sovereign territory. The details of the agreement have yet to be disclosed by either the Ethiopian government or Somaliland. However, President Mohamud urged African heads of state on Saturday to "ensure the respect of AU's principles" of sovereignty and territorial integrity of member countries.


In response to the controversy, Billene Seyoum, spokeswoman of the Prime Minister's Office, told the AFP that Ethiopia had warmly welcomed the President, providing him with all the honours befitting a visiting head of state. She noted, however, that Somalia's delegation's attempt to enter the summit venue armed had precipitated the standoff with AU's security personnel. Amid these diplomatic tensions, President Mohamud took to the reporters within the AU compound, claiming Ethiopia has the intention to annex Somalia's territory. The claim refers to the long-standing issue of Somaliland's de facto independence over the past three decades, which remains a sensitive topic in the region's geopolitics.


PUBLISHED ON Feb 17,2024 [ VOL 24 , NO 1242]

[ratemypost]


Related Posts

[ssba-buttons]

Put your comments here

N.B: A submit button will appear once you fill out all the required fields.

Editors' Pick

Exclusive Interviews

State Enterprises from Oracles to Apprentices

Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...

Agenda

Rising Costs, Inflation Threaten Insurance Industry

Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...

Agenda

BREWING DISCONTENT

Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...

Fortune News

Electric Vehicle Push Leaves Investors in the Lurch

Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...

Commentaries

The Missing Half of Ethiopia's Coffee Plan

The 3.1 billion dollars in coffee export earnings Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) ann...

When a Cheque Stops Meaning Pay Now

A cheque works because it promises one thing without conditions, which is to pay this amount, now. Strip away that certa...

Fineline

Leaders of the National . . .

Leaders of the National Election Board are in a charm offensive mood, of a sort. Last week, they organised a rare tour for members of the me...

When the country’s most. . .

When the country's most senior diplomats and envoys return back to their posts after two-week debriefings, they leave behind a point or two...

Editorial

Millions Looking for Work. Companies Cannot Find Many to Hire. A Paradox?

Jul 18 , 2026

Pressed in Parliament on jobs and household incomes, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD)...

Ethiopia Needs a Peace Premium the IMF Cannot Supply

Jul 11 , 2026

At a market stall, reform arrives without a communique. It comes as a higher transpor...

The New Gold Standard Comes with a Warning Label

Jul 4 , 2026

In the goldfields of the Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia's balance-of-paym...

The Rent Law Protects No One Well. Time to Rewrite It.

Jun 27 , 2026

The federal legislative house rushed through one of the country's most contentious ho...

Gallery

Parliament Approves New Cabinet Members

Oct 6 , 2021

Parliament Approves New Cabinet, Incorporates Opposition Leaders Lawmakers have approved today the nominations of 22 ministers, including three opposition leaders. Two MPs have voted against, while 12 abstained...

2020 in Posterity

Jan 5 , 2021

TIGRAY VOTES DESPITE "NULL & VOID" THREAT

Sep 9 , 2020

IN-PICTURE: LAUREATE'S RECEPTION  

Dec 14 , 2019

PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD) at a Gala Dinner Called for the Awarding of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize

May 6 , 2019

Faces, Voices of Addis Abeba

Apr 26 , 2019

Sunday With Eden

A Consultation Worth Less Than Bread

Imagine spending seven years studying medicine, completing demanding clinical rotatio...

A Body Trapped in Tomorrow

A medical doctor friend recently shared an area of research that had captured her attention. "Our bodies can't always tell the difference...

Life Matters

The Doors That Speak

It feels like a lifetime ago since I wore a high school uniform. Memory can be a fickle thing, and perhaps time has softened the edges of th...

Borrowing From Tomorrow to Survive Today

The other day, I was having coffee with a friend, let's call her Maya: when she confessed something that...