Ethiopia has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of undermining its strategic interests after he joined an Egypt-hosted summit with Eritrea and Sudan.
ADDIS ABABA (Somali Report) — Ethiopia has accused Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of supporting measures that it says undermine its strategic interests, following his participation in a four-way summit in Egypt earlier this month.
The Ethiopian News Agency, in a report titled “President Hassan Sheikh’s betrayal undermines regional realities,” criticised the Somali leader over his participation in the October 4 meeting in the Egyptian coastal city of Alamein involving Somalia, Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan.
The agency said Hassan’s participation and his support for the summit’s joint statement could affect Ethiopia’s interests concerning the Nile River and security in the Red Sea region.
The Alamein statement called on Nile Basin countries to respect the principle of avoiding harm to other states and said water projects with potential cross-border effects should be based on prior notification, consultation and agreement.
The Ethiopian News Agency argued that such provisions could directly affect Ethiopia, which has been locked in a long-running dispute with Egypt and Sudan over the use of Nile waters, particularly the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, or GERD, built by Addis Ababa on the Blue Nile.
Ethiopia has maintained that the dam is essential for its economic development and electricity generation, while Egypt has expressed concerns over its impact on downstream water supplies. Sudan has also been closely involved in the dispute.
The Ethiopian report also accused Hassan of aligning himself with a political grouping that, it argued, seeks to limit Ethiopia’s role in Red Sea affairs.
Landlocked since Eritrea gained independence in 1993, Ethiopia has increasingly stressed the strategic importance of securing reliable access to the Red Sea for trade and economic development.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has repeatedly said his country needs access to the sea, although Addis Ababa has said it is seeking such access through negotiations and peaceful agreements with neighbouring states.
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The report also criticised Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki for attending the Alamein summit, arguing that Asmara had supported Egypt’s position on Nile water issues.
The Ethiopian News Agency said Eritrea’s participation could indicate that Asmara was prioritising Egypt’s interests over its own long-term strategic considerations.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have had a turbulent relationship since their 1998-2000 border war, despite a rapprochement in 2018. Relations have deteriorated again in recent years amid tensions over Ethiopia’s relations with Somaliland and developments in the Horn of Africa.
The report also highlighted Ethiopia’s longstanding involvement in Somalia, citing its role in reconciliation conferences and its military participation in operations against Al-Shabaab since the collapse of Somalia’s central government in 1991.
Ethiopian forces have repeatedly deployed to Somalia as part of bilateral security arrangements and regional peacekeeping missions, while Ethiopia has also contributed troops to African Union-led operations against Al-Shabaab.
The Ethiopian News Agency argued that Hassan’s backing of the Alamein statement could undermine decades of security cooperation between the two neighbours.
It also criticised the Somali president’s position on Red Sea affairs and Ethiopia’s demand for maritime access.
Somalia, meanwhile, has repeatedly stressed the importance of regional sovereignty and territorial integrity, while maintaining close ties with Egypt and other countries involved in the Alamein meeting.
The summit came amid growing competition and diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa, where disputes over the Nile, Red Sea access, security partnerships and regional alliances have increasingly become intertwined.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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