Amidst growing diplomatic tensions, Somalia denies Ethiopian Airlines plane access to land in Somaliland, Hargeisa
Three weeks after Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland’s President Muse Bihe Abdi signed a memorandum of understanding in Addis Ababa, tensions have escalated between Ethiopia and Somalia.
The agreement permitted Ethiopia to lease 20 kilometers of coastline in the Gulf of Aden in exchange for recognizing Somaliland as a sovereign state. This move has triggered strong opposition from Somalia, which considers Somaliland as part of its own territory.
On the recent incident, Flight ET8372, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, was denied permission to land in self-declared independent Somaliland.
Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority, through its X (Twitter) account, officially announced the denial of landing rights for the plane bound for Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
Bloomberg, in an additional report on the matter, highlighted that the aircraft that was turned back was carrying Ethiopian government officials.
Ethiopian Airlines’ Chief Executive Officer stated that the flight, en route from Addis Ababa to Hargeisa, was compelled to return to Addis Ababa because it lacked authorization from Somalia.
The dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia has been brewing since the signing of the memorandum of understanding with self-governing Somaliland. The latest incident is anticipated to further strain the already delicate relationship between the two nations.
The international community, including the United States, China, European Union, African Union, and other countries, has issued statements expressing respect for the sovereignty of Somalia in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland.
As diplomatic tensions continue to rise, the situation remains dynamic and is being closely monitored by key players on the global stage.
