Somali, Egyptian presidents speak by phone

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke by phone Tuesday with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on bilateral relations between their countries and recent regional developments.

The Somali presidency said the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing relations and emphasized the importance of uniting efforts to address shared challenges in the region.

Sisi also affirmed Egypt's “unwavering” commitment to stand by Somalia and provide support for its security and stability, according to Somali government spokesman Farhan Jimale.

Mohamud also spoke by phone with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani about bilateral and regional relations of mutual interest and close bilateral cooperation between their two countries, according to the Somali presidency.

The phone calls came as tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia soured after Ethiopia and Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland signed a sea access deal without the approval of Somalia’s central government.

Somalia rejected Ethiopia's Red Sea port deal with Somaliland, calling it a threat to good neighborliness and a violation of its sovereignty.

“As a government, we have condemned and rejected the illegal infringement of Ethiopia into our national sovereignty and territorial integrity yesterday. Not an inch of Somalia can or will be signed away by anybody. Somalia belongs to the Somali people. This is final,” Mohamud said earlier Tuesday.

Somalia also recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia after the Somali Cabinet held an emergency meeting in the capital Mogadishu presided over by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre.

On Monday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea through the port of Berbera in Somaliland.

Abiy’s office hailed the pact as “historic,” saying it is “intended to serve as a framework for the multisectoral partnership between the two sides.”

“The Memorandum of Understanding shall pave the way to realize the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaports,” the office said in the statement.

It said the agreement will also strengthen the security, economic and political partnership between the two sides.

Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991.

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.

Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade.

Ethiopia and Egypt have been engaged in a lukewarm relationship for years over Ethiopia’s Nile Dam project.​​​​​​​

Last month, Egypt declared a dead end in Renaissance Dam negotiations with Ethiopia and Sudan and has vowed to defend its water and national security if they are violated.