Faith Nyasuguta
The Horn of Africa is currently grappling with escalating tensions following a disputed deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland.
In response to this heightened situation, the African Union (AU) and the United States are jointly calling for calm in the region. The agreement, signed on Monday, grants Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country, access to the Red Sea through Somaliland, a move vehemently opposed by Somalia.
The AU Commission chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat (pictured above), issued a statement on Thursday urging both Ethiopia and Somalia to exercise “calm and mutual respect” to de-escalate the brewing tensions.
He emphasized the need for prompt negotiations to address their differences and cautioned against actions that could inadvertently strain the good relations between the neighboring Eastern African nations. Faki underscored the imperative to uphold the unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty of all AU member states.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, is not internationally recognized, and its bid for autonomy has faced staunch opposition from Mogadishu.
The recent agreement allows Ethiopia access to commercial maritime services and includes a military base, with Somaliland leasing 20 kilometers of coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years.
The United States, aligning with the AU’s appeal, has rejected international recognition for Somaliland and is calling for diplomatic dialogue to resolve the crisis.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized the U.S. recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia within its 1960 borders. Expressing serious concern about the heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa, the U.S. urges all stakeholders to engage in diplomatic discussions.
As the region navigates this complex geopolitical situation, the call for calm and dialogue from both the African Union and the United States signifies the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means to ensure stability and maintain positive relations among neighboring nations.
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