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Somali President Says Ethiopian Deal a Plan to Annex Somalia

Storyline:10th President

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has termed the recent deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland a plan to annex Somalia by Ethiopia.

Speaking during prayers on Friday in Mogadishu, President Mohamud said Ethiopia was keen on annexing Somalia’s territory but disguised it as a lease agreement with Somaliland.

“I would like people to know that the agreement was about land given out, all the other factors are things used to ease the agreement, like saying ‘we rented, it is for commercial, etc. but it is null and void because a land cannot be rented”, President Mohamud said.

The President said Somali territory cannot be traded with shareholding in Ethiopian Airways, Ethiopian Telecom, or anything else. He was referring to reports that the MoU with Ethiopia envisaged Somaliland securing a shareholding in blue chip companies in Ethiopia such as Ethiopia Airlines and Ethio Telcom.

“We urged our neighbouring government of Ethiopia before and we urged them now that Musa Bihi cannot give you a piece of land, neither his predecessor can give it nor the one before him ever did, so don’t waste your time”, he added.

President Hassan urged the Government and people of Ethiopia to show the shared good neighbourhood because we have a lot in common and we cannot change our locations, we only have one option to co-exist in peace, be friends and work towards our common interests, and Somalia is ready for that.

He called on the leadership in Ethiopia not to ‘mislead’ Ethiopians that they were getting a share of Somalia’s territory.

“Do not mislead your people, do not tell your people that we are getting sea from Somalia, that will never happen, it never happened before and it will never happen again, so don’t waste your time and do not cause a disappointment your people.”

Foreign powers including the US UK, Turkey and EU among others have called on Ethiopia to desist from the deal and avoid anything that could destabilise the region.