Somali President Speaks with Egyptian, Qatari Leaders Following Ethiopia’s ‘Aggression’

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud engaged the UAE and Egyptian leaders Tuesday night to shore up support for his country’s stance against ‘aggression’ from Ethiopia following a deal seeking access to the sea through Somalia’s territory.

According to Villa Somalia, President Mohamud spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and congratulated him on his re-election on December 18. The two sides also ‘reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations, emphasising the importance of uniting efforts to address shared challenges in the region,” the statement read in part.

The Head of State also spoke with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad where they discussed ‘bilateral and regional relations of mutual interest, exploring opportunities to further develop the close bilateral cooperation between the two countries.’

The calls follow sharp rebuttals from Mogadishu following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and the break-away region of Somaliland on Monday, which sought to grant Addis access to sea.

Somalia declared the MoU illegal, null and void and recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia.