Somalia on Thursday expelled Ethiopia Ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware and ordered him to leave the country in 72 hours as their diplomatic row escalated.
In a statement by acting Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Omar, Mogadishu said it was shutting down two Ethiopian consulates in Hargeisa, Somaliland, and Garowe, Puntland.
Somalia further recalled Ambassador Abdullahi Mohamed Warfa from Addis Ababa back to Mogadishu, as a dispute over Ethiopia’s plan to build a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland escalated.
“Somalia stands firm on its sovereignty! In light of Ethiopian interference in our internal affairs, we’ve demanded Ethiopia’s Ambassador leave within 72 hours and are closing consulates in Hargeisa and Garowe. Our resolve in protecting our territory is steadfast,” Omar said.
Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nebiyu Tedla, however, on Thursday said Ethiopia did not have any information on the matter, which was first officially announced by Somalia’s Prime Minister’s office.
PUNTLAND TENSIONS
Tensions between Mogadishu and Puntland also rose over the weekend when Puntland’s state council said it had withdrawn from the country’s federal system and would govern itself independently in a dispute over constitutional changes.
Diplomatic tensions were already mounting following a meeting between Ethiopian and Puntland federal state government officials to discuss economic and trade relations, and to operationalise border customs.
While trade and economy is not a controversial topic, that the discussions centred on ways for Ethiopia to use the Garacad Port, including coordination on infrastructure development to enable cargo trucks to travel from Garacad into Ethiopia, angered Mogadishu, on the backdrop of the Somaliland controversial deal.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud previously called the port deal illegal and said in February his country would “defend itself” if Ethiopia were to go ahead with it.
