Saturday December 14, 2024
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland's new government announced plans to reevaluate its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ethiopia following the recent Somalia-Ethiopia agreement mediated by Turkey, which resolved a year-long diplomatic dispute over the MoU.
Mohamed Farah Abdi, spokesperson for the ruling Waddani Party, told BBC Somali on Friday that the Turkish-brokered Ankara agreement, signed on December 11, 2024, does not directly affect Somaliland.
"The agreement in Ankara has nothing to do with us; it was signed between two neighboring countries. We are Somaliland," Abdi said.
The spokesperson revealed that Somaliland's government has yet to review the contentious MoU, signed in 2024 and proposed leasing coastal land to Ethiopia for a naval base in exchange for recognizing Somaliland's independence. Somalia strongly opposed the deal, calling it a violation of its sovereignty.
"The new government will study the MoU. If it aligns with Somaliland's interests, it will proceed. If not, it will be shelved," Abdi stated.
The newly elected government, led by President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, has committed to reassessing all major agreements to ensure they serve Somaliland's long-term interests.
The Somalia-Ethiopia agreement, facilitated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reaffirmed both nations' commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law. Former Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed the MoU in Addis Ababa on January 1, 2024.