Ethiopia warns it will ‘humiliate’ those who threaten it as Egypt, Somalia increase military ties

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday warned that Addis Ababa will “humiliate” any country that threatens its sovereignty, as tensions rise in the volatile Horn of Africa region.

Africa’s second-most populous country is locked in a dispute with neighbouring Somalia over a maritime deal Addis Ababa signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland. Relations with Egypt are also strained over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which Cairo says threatens its access to Blue Nile waters.

“We will not allow anyone to harm us, and we will humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us,” Abiy Ahmed said.

“We will not negotiate with anyone over the sovereignty and dignity of Ethiopians,” he said.

Last month, Ethiopia accused unnamed parties of seeking to “destabilise the region” after Egypt sent military equipment to Somalia following the signing of a military cooperation agreement between Cairo and Mogadishu.

READ: Ethiopia warns of potential instability in Horn of Africa due to Somalia military cooperation with ‘external actors’

Egypt also offered to deploy troops to Somalia as part of a new African Union-led mission that is set to replace the current peacekeeping force known as ATMIS next year.

Ethiopia is currently a major contributor to ATMIS, which helps Somali forces fight the jihadist group Al-Shabaab. But Mogadishu is angry about a January deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland that gives Addis Ababa a long-sought sea outlet, saying it is an assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Under the deal, Somaliland agreed to lease 20 kilometres (12 miles) of its coastline for 50 years to Ethiopia, which wants to build a naval base and commercial port on the coast.

In return, Somaliland has said Ethiopia will formally recognise it, although Addis Ababa has never confirmed this.

Turkiye has been mediating indirect talks between Ethiopia and Somalia to try to resolve the dispute, but so far there has been no major progress.

Somaliland, a former British colony with a population of 4.5 million, declared independence in 1993 but Mogadishu rejected the move, which has also not been recognised by the international community.

Cairo and Addis Ababa have been at odds for years, trading accusations over Ethiopia’s dam project, which Egypt sees as a threat to its water security.