Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said his country rejects an Israeli presence on its territory, accusing Israel of planning to establish a naval base in the city of Berbera and use its airport. In return, Mogadishu said it was ready to allow Ethiopia, a landlocked country, to use two or three Somali ports to import and export goods.
Mogadishu rejects Israeli presence in Berbera
Sheikh Mohamud said in an interview due to be broadcast in full on Sunday that Somalia would under no circumstances accept the way Israel is approaching Somaliland. He added that Mogadishu would deal with what he described as the challenge posed by these moves, saying their real aim was to draw closer to the Gulf states and Iran.
The Somali president said Somaliland’s residents completely oppose an Israeli presence, stressing that his government would continue to address the issue in a way that safeguards the country’s sovereignty and interests. He said attempts to transfer Middle East crises to Somalia would not succeed, as the country faces challenges related to its territory and territorial waters.
He said Somalia had previously faced attempts to seize parts of its territorial waters, but recovered them through international law. He also said his country had thwarted another attempt to obtain part of its territory in order to gain access to the sea, which Mogadishu rejected, adding: “This time too, I believe we will overcome the challenge posed by Israel.”
Somalia offers Ethiopia commercial sea access
Regarding relations with Addis Ababa, Sheikh Mohamud described Somali-Ethiopian ties as good and said he had worked to strengthen them again since taking office. He said Somalia did not oppose Ethiopia reaching the sea through its territory, nor did it object to Ethiopia obtaining a seaport designated for commercial purposes.
He said 16 landlocked African countries have access to the sea, explaining that relations between coastal states and landlocked countries are governed by international rules and agreements, foremost among them the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. He said these frameworks define how states deal with one another regarding access to ports and maritime routes.
Sheikh Mohamud confirmed that his country was ready to allow Ethiopia to use two or three Somali ports for imports and exports, noting that economic agreements could be concluded to regulate the related fees and tariffs. He revealed that Ethiopia had told Somalia it needed access to the sea, but had not yet submitted a formal request on the matter.
Security cooperation and regional navigation risks
On regional security, the Somali president said the Houthi group was destabilising the region and disrupting navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, stressing the importance of this waterway to international trade. On counter-terrorism, he said the United States remained Mogadishu’s strongest partner and that joint security cooperation between the two countries was continuing.
Sheikh Mohamud also said al-Shabaab was no longer present in the major cities, stressing that there was no possibility of it returning to control Somalia.
