The African Union and the United States have appealed for calm in the Horn of Africa, where tensions have risen following a disputed pact between Ethiopia and the secessionist Somaliland region.
In response to the agreement reached on Monday, Somalia pledged to defend its borders, calling it an “aggression” and a direct violation of its autonomy by neighbouring Ethiopia.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) grants landlocked Ethiopia, the continent’s second-most populous country, access to the Red Sea via Somaliland, causing concern in the region.
The AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, issued a statement urging “calm and mutual respect” to defuse rising tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.
He urged both countries to engage in dialogue as soon as possible to resolve their differences and warned against any actions that would strain relations further.
Faki emphasised the critical importance of all African Union member states maintaining their unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty.
Somaliland, an independent territory since 1991 that is not recognised internationally and is opposed by Mogadishu, offered Ethiopia access to commercial maritime services and a military base in exchange for a 50-year lease of 20 kilometres of coastline.
In a similar vein, the United States rejected international recognition for Somaliland and called for diplomatic talks to defuse the crisis, emphasising support for Somalia’s sovereignty within its 1960 borders.
“We join other partners in expressing our serious concern about the resulting spike in tensions in the Horn of Africa,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. “We urge all stakeholders to engage in diplomatic dialogue.”