Kenya’s President William Ruto has engaged a higher gear for back channels to ease tension between Ethiopia and Somalia, motivated by business fervor in both countries, And, from this week, both Addis and Mogadishu are expected to tone down their public rhetoric against each other, sources privy to the discussions indicated…
President Ruto hosted both Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who were in Nairobi on different missions. Dr Abiy was on a state visit while Mohamud was attending the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea-6) at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi.
Security and economic issues in the Horn of Africa featured prominently in their respective meetings with the Kenyan leader, ”The two leaders discussed ways and means to expand close partnership on a wide range of issues, including further developing bilateral economic and security ties to the benefit of both the people of Somalia and Kenya,” said a dispatch after Dr Ruto and Mr Mohamud met at State House, Nairobi.
Diplomatic source told, Kenya’s desire was to ensure the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia does not boil over. Since January, Addis Ababa and Mogadishu have bickered publicly after Ethiopia signed an MoU to access the sea with Somaliland, a breakaway region whose independence from Somalia has never been recognised abroad.
Kenya tried to mediate but Somalia declined to hold any talks until Ethiopia ditched the MoU. Ethiopia insisted, however, that the pact was for business reasons, not annexation of Somali territory, By Thursday night when both leaders departed Nairobi, the consensus was that they should no longer discuss it in public.
It is important that they do not raise tensions by continually criticising each other in public,” said a diplomatic source familiar with the back channels. “There will be a meeting in the near future at a venue to be agreed so that we continue engaging.” Ruto’s intent to resolve the issue was clear when he met with Abiy Wednesday. A dispatch from the meeting said they had agreed to respect sovereignty and territorial boundaries of peers in the region, a revealing decision for the Horn of Africa.
