Ethiopia-Somalia tensions boil over at African UnionAFP, ADDIS ABABATensions between Horn of Africa rivals Ethiopia and Somalia on Saturday boiled over on the opening day of an African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa. The two neighbors — already at odds over a controversial maritime pact — locked horns over Somalia’s claims that Ethiopian security tried to block Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud from accessing the summit venue. The 55-nation AU, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, has long been criticized for being ineffectual and taking little decisive action in the face of numerous conflicts and power grabs. Mohamud told reporters he had been blocked by Ethiopian security agents as he tried to enter a summit venue, a second time while accompanying Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh. Mogadishu has accused Addis Ababa of violating its sovereignty over a January maritime deal with Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 in a move not recognized by the international community.

Source: Ethiopian News February 18, 2024 16:40 UTC