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Toronto – Wednesday this week, Somaliland’s Embassy Foundation in Ethiopia was laid. The President, Muuse Bihi Abdi, did not make it to the ceremony in Addis Ababa.
It was his Foreign Affairs Minister, Issa Kayed, who laid the corner store.
The inscription reads “The Foundation stone of the republic of Somaliland was laid by Issa Kayed MOFA on behalf of his excellency Muuse Bihi Abdi, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 16 October 2024.”
Based on the message shared on X page, the land was donated by Abiy Ahmed’s government. The foreign affairs minister remarked that the donation strengthens the v bilateral relations between “the two nations.,” as he puts it.
“Today, Somaliland’s FM, H.E. @DrEssaKayd laid the foundation stone for the future embassy of the Republic of S/land in Addis Ababa. This land was generously donated by the Ethiopian gov’t, marking a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral ties between our two nations,” The Ministry wrote on X page.
Abdulahi Mohammed, Somaliland Special Envoy to the African Union and IGAD reflected similar sentiment. DW Amharic quoted him as saying “We have got the land like other missions in Ethiopia. We are given land from where we undertake Somaliland’s Mission in Ethiopia. We had been having a good mission [before we received the land]. We have many employees. Ethiopia too has a good mission in Hargeisa.”
Asked if the foundation laid in Addis Ababa means a recognition for Somaliland, Abdulahi responded ” I did not say like that. Somaliland is not yet recognized by Ethiopia. However, like other African countries we expect recognition for Somaliland. And the Memorandum of understanding includes access to the sea and recognition. And we are working on these issues…”
Ethiopia and Somaliland signed the MoU on January 1, 2024. The development triggered tension between Ethiopia and Somalia as well as new political and military alliances in the region. Recently, Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia signed a tripartite agreement in Asmara.
Egypt has been exploiting the development to entrench itself militarily in the region as a way to exert pressure on Ethiopia with whom there was an ongoing hostility especially after the Grand Renaissance Dam Project.
As Egypt announced plans to deploy its troops in Somalia following a military pact in August this year, Ethiopia responded by officially sending its Ambassador to Somaliland. On August 29, Ambassador Teshome Shunde officially presented credentials to Somaliland president Muse Bihi. Egypt has also shipped light and heavy armaments to Somalia. Somaliland and Ethiopia have been expressing concern about the possibility of the firearms falling in the hands of Al-Shabaab terrorists.
