The African Union and the United States have made an appeal for tranquillity in the Horn of Africa as tensions heightened following a disputed pact between Ethiopia and the seceded Somaliland region.
Somalia has pledged to defend its borders in response to the agreement on Monday, labeling it an “aggression” and a direct violation of its autonomy by neighbouring Ethiopia.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) grants landlocked Ethiopia, the continent’s second-most populous nation, access to the Red Sea through Somaliland, a move sparking regional unease.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, issued a statement urging “calm and mutual respect” to quell the mounting tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.
He called upon both nations to swiftly engage in dialogue to resolve their differences and advised against any actions that could further strain relations.
Faki stressed the imperative need to uphold the unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty of all African Union member states.
Somaliland, an independent territory since 1991 not internationally recognized and opposed by Mogadishu, offered Ethiopia access to commercial maritime services and a military base in exchange for a lease of 20 kilometres of coastline for 50 years.
The U.S., echoing similar sentiments, rejected international recognition for Somaliland and urged diplomatic talks to defuse the crisis, stressing support for Somalia’s sovereignty within its 1960 borders.
“We join other partners in expressing our serious concern about the resulting spike in tensions in the Horn of Africa,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. “We urge all stakeholders to engage in diplomatic dialogue.”
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