MOGADISHU: Somalia has announced the expulsion of Ethiopian ambassador from the country amid rising tensions over a port deal dispute in the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Ethiopian Ambassador Mukhtar Mohamed has been recalled for consultations, as confirmed by Somalia’s Prime Minister’s office on Thursday. Additionally, Mogadishu has taken the unprecedented step of shuttering Ethiopia’s consulates in Hargeisa, the largest city and capital of Somaliland, and Garowe, the capital city of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.
Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ali Omar, in a statement on social media platform X, asserted that Mohamed has been given a 72-hour ultimatum to leave the country, citing alleged “Ethiopian interference” in Mogadishu’s internal affairs.
“SomaIia stands firm on its sovereignty,” Omar affirmed. “Our resolve in protecting our territory is steadfast.” The expulsion of the Ethiopian ambassador marks a significant diplomatic escalation in the ongoing dispute, with implications for regional stability.
The disagreement stems from a memorandum of understanding signed on January 1 between landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland, leasing 20km of coastline around the port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden for 50 years for military and commercial purposes.
Ethiopia’s intentions to establish a naval base in the area and the potential recognition of Somaliland in exchange have irked Somalia, which accuses Ethiopia of attempting to annex its territory. Somalia fears that the deal could exacerbate instability in the Horn of Africa region.
