Somaliland Asserts Legitimacy of Agreement with Ethiopia, Dismisses Somalia President’s Opposition

In response to President Hassan Sheikh’s repeated objections to the recent agreement between leaders of Somaliland and Ethiopia, Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Essa Kayd, emphasized the significance of the agreement, highlighting that it marks a crucial step towards official recognition after a thirty-year wait.

Kayd asserted that President Hassan Sheikh of Somalia lacks the authority to annul or denounce the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Somaliland and Ethiopia, which grants Ethiopia access to the Red Sea and purportedly includes recognition of Somaliland.

Citing the historical context of Somaliland’s international agreements, Minister Essa Kayd maintained that the recently revealed MOU with Ethiopia aligns with the cooperative spirit of previous accords.

Despite President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s efforts to contest the Somaliland-Ethiopia agreements, Kayd pointed out alleged challenges in controlling regions within Somalia itself, underscoring Somaliland’s commitment to forging international agreements with its partners.