Somaliland’s Defense Minister Abdiqani Mohamoud Aateye has stepped down in protest against an agreement permitting Ethiopia to utilize a port within the autonomous Somali region.
Abdiqani Mohamoud Aateye voiced his discontent with President Muse Bihi Abdi, accusing him of neglecting to engage the ministers in discussions regarding the Ethiopian port arrangement, which Aateye learned about through the media.
Hailing from Somaliland’s Awdal region, where Ethiopia intends to establish a military base in Lughaya, Aateye pointed out a lack of consultation as the primary reason for his resignation.
The accord is rumored to provide Ethiopia with access to the Red Sea, and there are indications that it acknowledges Somaliland’s independence.
In response, Somalia views this as an “aggression,” prompting the recall of its ambassador to Addis Ababa. The diplomatic strain has resulted in Ethiopia’s ambassador reciprocally returning to Addis Ababa.
