Djibouti to host next round of Somalia-Ethiopia diplomats talks

Djibouti to host next round of Somalia-Ethiopia diplomats talks

Source: Hiiraan online, Thursday March 28, 2024

Mogadishu (HOL) – Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, stated that Djibouti, along with Kenya, is working to restore the good relations between Ethiopia and Somalia to their previous level.

Speaking to MMTV on Wednesday, the Foreign Minister emphasized that a previous meeting between Ethiopia and Somalia was held in Kenya, and another meeting is expected to be held in Djibouti. Still, he did not mention any specific time.

Neither Somalia nor Ethiopia mentioned any previous meetings about the MoU in Kenya.

Minister Mahmoud reiterated Djibouti’s position of respecting Somalia’s independence, stating that the Djibouti government does not believe Somalia should be divided.

“The region has had many troubles; we do not want another new war in the region,” he added.

The new political dispute between the Somali government and the breakaway region of Somaliland started after Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Addis Ababa on January 1, granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in exchange for a stake in Ethiopian Airlines.

The Somali government strongly rejected the MoU, warning Ethiopia against any actions violating Somali sovereignty.