UN Chief in Somalia Says ‘Disappointed’ By AU’s Stance on Somalia-Ethiopia Row

GOOBJOOG NEWS|NEW YORK: The UN Chief in Somalia Catriona Laing has lamented what she termed a failure by the African Union to find a concrete solution to the ongoing row between Somalia and Ethiopia following the controversial January MoU.

While addressing the UN Security Council on Monday night, Lang said the African Union Summit, which concluded on Sunday ought to have given sufficient attention to the dispute. She however, stressed the need for dialogue between the two countries.

“This situation must be resolved through constructive dialogue. In that regard, it is disappointing that no significant progress was made at the recent Africa Union summit,” the UN diplomat said.

The UN Security Council has earlier called for restraint and dialogue, echoing a communiqué by the African Union which urged ‘de-escalation and dialogue.’ The Council also called for respect of Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity.

The situation worsened over the weekend when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud revealed that he had been barred by Ethiopian forces from leaving his hotel room and also from accessing the assembly. However, he did manage to attend the session after he used the entourage of Djibouti President Ismael Guelleh.