Tuesday 10, Dec, 2024 {HMC} Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Mohamud Fiqi has accused Ethiopia of undermining regional stability through alleged illegal arms shipments into Jubbaland, escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. The Somali government warned that such actions violate international laws and jeopardize peace talks facilitated by Turkey in Ankara.
“These actions are blatant violations of Somalia’s sovereignty and threaten to destabilize the region further,” Minister Fiqi said. He added that Ethiopia’s activities contravene the principles of good neighbourliness and disregard international norms.
The Somali government reported that two Ethiopian Airlines aircraft, identified as C12 models with registration number ET-ATF, landed in Jubbaland’s capital, Kismayo, on December 7. Officials alleged the planes carried unauthorized weapons in direct violation of Somali and international laws.
Over recent months, Somalia has accused Ethiopia of systematically smuggling arms into other regions, including Puntland and Galmudug, exacerbating tensions between Mogadishu and regional administrations. Minister Fiqi criticized Ethiopia’s actions as part of a broader strategy to exert undue influence in Somali affairs.
Ethiopia’s activities are part of a wider historical pattern of expansionism. “The situation has been further complicated by Ethiopia’s earlier attempts to claim maritime resources off the northern coast of Somalia,” Fiqi noted.
These developments have sparked concerns over the fragility of ongoing negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia. Somalia said that talks in Ankara, aimed at resolving bilateral issues, have reportedly been derailed by Ethiopia’s military activities.
The Somali government warned that Ethiopia’s actions risk undermining the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), tasked with stabilizing the region. “Such provocations weaken trust between neighbours and threaten to derail years of progress towards peace,” Fiqi said.
Somalia has called on international partners to hold Ethiopia accountable for its actions and to pressure Addis Ababa into ceasing military operations in Somali territories. “The path to peace requires respect for sovereignty and adherence to international law,” Fiqi stated.
Source Hiiraan online
