The United Arab Emirates (UAE) affirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence
Mekelle: 18 December 2023 (Tigray Herald)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) affirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, and reiterated its support for the Federal Republic of Somalia’s government in exercising full sovereignty over its territories, in addition to working with the Arab consensus on all that it deems necessary in this regard.
It has been two weeks since PM Abiy Ahmed made a surprising announcement about securing a 50-year lease for a naval base with access to the Berbera port in the self-governing breakaway Somaliland region.
Since that time, Somalia has received unparalleled diplomatic backing from nearly every nation, whereas Ethiopia has not.
Abiy has a mere “two weeks” to either reconsider his foreign policy blunder and repair ties with Somalia or continue with his imprudent plan, bearing the consequences of his miscalculation.
His Excellency Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State, headed the UAE delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the Arab League Ministerial Council on Wednesday January 17th, based on a request by the Federal Republic of Somalia. The session was conducted via videoconference to discuss recent developments in relations between Somalia and Ethiopia, and the repercussions of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland.
During the meeting, His Excellency affirmed support for Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, and reiterated the country’s support for the Federal Republic of Somalia’s government in exercising full sovereignty over its territories, in addition to working with the Arab consensus on all that it deems necessary in this regard. His Excellency also highlighted the need for collaborative efforts to promote stability and security in the Horn of Africa, as well as for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy. Furthermore, HE emphasized the importance of exploring ways to coordinate with IGAD and the African Union to ensure stability in the Horn of Africa.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of a resolution to support Somalia.
His Excellency also headed the UAE delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the Arab League Ministerial Council, which was held according to a request by the Republic of Iraq, to discuss the latest developments after Iran attacked multiple areas in the city of Erbil, Northern Iraq, which resulted in several deaths and destruction of civilian sites. The meeting issued a resolution that strongly condemned the attack on the Kurdistan Region, regarding it as a serious violation of the principles of good-neighborliness, international laws, charters, and norms. The resolution also affirmed the unity and sovereignty of Iraqi territories against any foreign violation.
