Ethiopia will 'humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us': PM Abiy
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed says his country "won't negotiate with anyone" on its sovereignty.
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Ethiopia President Abiy Ahmed addresses the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (AP)
Ethiopia would "humiliate" any nation attempting to threaten its sovereignty, the country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warned on Sunday, as tensions continue to escalate in the Horn of Africa.
Africa’s second-most populous country is embroiled in a dispute with neighboring Somalia over a maritime agreement signed with the breakaway region Somaliland. Additionally, relations with Egypt remain strained over Ethiopia’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile.
“We will not be touched! However, we will humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us in order to dissuade them," Abiy underlined during a Sovereignty Day ceremony in the capital Addis Ababa.
"We won't negotiate with anyone on Ethiopia's sovereignty and dignity," he was quoted as saying by the official Ethiopian News Agency.
A couple of weeks ago, Ethiopia appointed an ambassador to Somaliland, further escalating tensions with Somalia and Egypt.
Last month, Ethiopia accused unnamed external actors of attempting to destabilize the region after Egypt provided military equipment to Somalia following the signing of a military cooperation pact between Cairo and Mogadishu.
Furthermore, Egypt has offered to deploy troops to Somalia under a new African Union-led mission, which is set to replace the existing peacekeeping force, ATMIS, next year. Ethiopia is a major contributor to ATMIS, which supports Somali forces in their fight against the al-Shabaab terrorist group.
However, tensions with Somalia have intensified following a controversial deal signed in January between Ethiopia and Somaliland, granting the first long-sought access to the sea. Mogadishu condemned the agreement, describing it as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Under the terms of the agreement, Somaliland agreed to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of its coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years, allowing Addis Ababa to establish a naval base and commercial port. In return, Somaliland seeks formal recognition from Ethiopia, though this has not been officially confirmed by Addis Ababa.
On its part, Turkey has been facilitating indirect talks between Ethiopia and Somalia in an effort to resolve the conflict, but progress has yet to be achieved.
Somaliland, a former British protectorate with a population of 4.5 million, declared independence in 1993, but its status remains unrecognized by both Mogadishu and the international community.
Meanwhile, Cairo and Addis Ababa remain locked in a longstanding dispute over Ethiopia’s colossal hydroelectric dam project, which Egypt views as a direct threat to its water resources.
