Somalia has expelled Ethiopia's ambassador and closed two consulates in a dispute over a port deal, citing interference in its internal affairs.
Washington — Somalia said it expelled Ethiopia 's ambassador in Mogadishu and ordered the closure of two consulates -- one each in the semi-autonomous Puntland region and the breakaway Somaliland region -- in a dispute over a port deal .
Both Ethiopia and Somaliland authorities described it as a"historic" initial agreement that would give Somaliland a path to recognition and allow landlocked Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea. A month later, in February, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called the deal illegal and said that his country would"defend itself" if Ethiopia goes ahead with it.Today's government decision, however, came a day after the semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which is also a federal member state, announced it had signed a new cooperation agreement with Addis Ababa.
"Mogadishu has failed to eradicate terrorist groups and spread governance across the country and now it is trying to impose its decisions on a peaceful region that does not run with its orders. It cannot close a consulate in Puntland," Aidid told VOA.
Somalia Ethiopia Ambassador Consulates Port Deal Dispute Interference Internal Affairs
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