File Photo/Somali Times
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, of trying to incite conflict in the Horn of Africa to divert him from the challenges in Ethiopia’s civil war.
Read: Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh history of corruption 2012-2017
Read: Somalia Hassan Sheikh’s government is facing a widespread financial crisis and the causes
Minister Fiqi said that Somalia is taking a strong position against any threat to its unity and independence, noting that Ethiopia’s greed can lead to widespread violence and instability in the region.
Read: Somalia’s corruption is widespread throughout the regime
He also said that in the talks held in Ankara with Turkey as the mediator, Ethiopia has insisted on its desire for Somalia’s water and land, and Somalia will never give up on that.
“The mediation talks that Turkey is conducting between Somalia and Ethiopia, we have accepted the strong relationship that we have with Turkey and the world has seen that Somalia has refused Ethiopia any proper dialogue,” said Minister Fiqi.
Read: Why is Somalia an unfortunate country
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia continued his speech “I want to make it clear that Somalia is open for trade only with profitable agreements with Ethiopia. We will not allow access to the sea in a military and independent manner, as well.” We will not allow a long or short term military presence.
Responding to the news that there are Ethiopian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the defence of Somalia, Minister Fiqi said that the Ethiopian forces also kill more than 20 thousand Somalis in 2007-2008, and also destroyed public property and property. displacement of 800 thousand Somali people.
“There are Ethiopian soldiers and the general ATMIS mission who died in the war against the Al-Shabab but that does not mean that we will take your sea and land. More than that we have died to liberate the country from colonialism. We see that the Ethiopian authorities are trying to their troops must remain in Somalia, which are acting as troops that are not part of the ATMIS operation, and that is not correct, the decision of the countries that will be part of the new operation in Somalia is up to the federal government,” said Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi.
The minister praised the position of the Turkish government to find a solution to this crisis, hoping that the next round will result in a solution based on respect for international law.
Finally, it was at the beginning of this year when Ethiopia signed an agreement with Hargeisa administration, in which it wants to have access to the Red Sea and a military base, which Hargeisa recognizes as an independent state.