Somalia-Ethiopia tensions escalate; UN urges diplomatic resolution

washington — 

In a important week for Somalia's information plan, discussions successful Washington and New York person underscored the urgent request for mentation for the upcoming African Union Support Mission successful Somalia (AUSSOM), arsenic escalating tensions betwixt Somalia and Ethiopia implicit a maritime statement Ethiopia signed with Somaliland raised concerns among planetary stakeholders.

Somalia is acceptable to find the creation of its upcoming AUSSOM pursuing the expiration of the existent AU mission.

Hussein Moalim, Somalia's nationalist information adviser, stated that Somalia is steadfast successful its presumption connected Ethiopian forces' information successful the caller mission.

"Somalia would not see Ethiopian troops to beryllium portion of the caller ngo unless it withdraws from the amerciable memorandum of knowing signed with [Somalia's breakaway portion of] Somaliland earlier this year," Moalim said Thursday successful an interrogation with VOA Somali.

The arguable memorandum of understanding, besides known arsenic an MoU, has escalated tensions betwixt the 2 neighboring nations, granting Ethiopia entree to a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) agelong of Red Sea coastline successful instrumentality for imaginable designation of Somaliland's independence.

Somalia views the MoU, signed successful January, arsenic a usurpation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, starring to a diplomatic rift that has included the expulsion of the Ethiopian ambassador from Mogadishu and threats to region thousands of Ethiopian troops stationed successful parts of southbound and cardinal regions of the country.

Despite 2 rounds of mediated talks by Turkey yielding nary results, Somalia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad insists that effectual dialog hinges connected addressing issues of Somalia's sovereignty infringement and restoring trust.

"First we request to lick the contented connected our sovereignty infringement and 2nd to reconstruct the spot and the diplomatic relations betwixt us, and past determination comes the dialog connected the Ethiopia tendency to entree our oversea and ports," said Balcad successful an interrogation with VOA Somali.

UN urges diplomatic solution

In New York, the United Nations Security Council addressed the information concern successful Somalia connected Thursday, stressing the urgency of finalizing plans for the caller AU stabilization mission.

During the discussion, concerns were raised regarding escalating tensions betwixt Somalia and Ethiopia, with James Swan, acting peculiar typical of the secretary-general, urging some nations to question a diplomatic solution wrong the model of planetary law.

Ambassador Robert Wood, the U.S. alternate typical for peculiar governmental affairs, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the detrimental interaction of rising tensions connected determination security.

"Colleagues, we are profoundly acrophobic astir rising hostility betwixt Ethiopia and Somalia and the antagonistic interaction it is having connected shared information interests," Wood said.

In discussions held successful Washington this week, Somali officials, on with representatives from the U.S., Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the U.K., emphasized the urgency of finalizing backing options for the caller peacekeeping mission.

Somalia's Moalim reiterated the committedness of planetary partners to enactment Somalia's security, stableness and sovereignty.

"The partners reaffirmed their unwavering enactment for the national authorities of Somalia successful its efforts to attain stableness and information crossed the nation," helium said.

Ethopia denies Somalia's allegations

Briefing the U.N. Security Council, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi accused Ethiopia of utilizing the combat against coercion arsenic a pretext for territorial expansion.

"Let maine beryllium clear. The assertion that Ethiopia is successful Somalia to combat coercion is simply a pretext for annexation," Fiqi asserted, adding that Somalia has intercepted 3 amerciable arms shipments from Ethiopia successful the past 3 months, fueling section conflicts and empowering extremist groups.

"We telephone these actions a wide usurpation of Somalia's sovereignty," helium said.

Ethiopia has been perpetually denying Somalia's accusations against Ethiopia, including its volition down the MoU signed with Somaliland.

During past month's gathering of U.N. General Assembly, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Atske-Selassie said his state had thing to bash with Somalia's allegations.

"Ethiopia's memorandum of knowing with Somaliland is based connected existing governmental dispensation successful Somalia," helium said.

"Our nonsubjective is simply a shared maturation and prosperity successful the region. Similar agreements person been concluded by different states, and determination is nary crushed for the authorities of Somalia to incite hostility that evidently intends to screen interior governmental tensions," helium added. "I truthful cull the unfounded allegations leveled against my country."

Falastin Iman successful Washington contributed to this report, which originated successful VOA's Somali Service.