Somali Magazine – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sharply lambasted the Ethiopian government, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a press conference after leaving Addis Abeba, for flagrantly violating Somalia’s sovereignty and actively attempting to seize its territory.
The President cited an instance in which the convoy of H.E. President Hassan Sheikh and H.E. President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, along with their accompanying delegations, were met with violent attempts by Ethiopian Government security officers to hinder their admission into summit activities.
“This morning, while I was on my way to the summit, Ethiopian security stopped me and refused to let me leave the hotel with my cars and entourage to attend the conference.I stayed there for a long time before returning with another President’s automobile and crew.
And when we returned to the African Union’s headquarters, two presidents, the President of the Republic of Djibouti and myself, were barred from entering, and a soldier with a rifle stood in front of us, denying us entry to this facility,” President Hassan added.
He also stated that he had heard that past presidents were treated similarly and received comparable harsh treatment.
“Somalia as a founding member of the African Union we do not deserve that treatment from a country that hosts the African Union,” he went on to say.
The tragic occurrence sets a hazardous precedent for future summits and casts doubt on Ethiopia’s credibility as a host and commitment to preserving African Union values.