The prime minister of Ethiopia warned, stating that anyone considering an invasion should “think 10 times” before proceeding since he expects any attack to be met with resistance.
Although Abiy Ahmed made his remarks at a time when tensions with Egypt and Somalia, his neighbors, are on the rise, he did not specifically mention any country in his remarks.
Following PM Abiy’s government’s signing of a maritime agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland in January, Somalia denounced the agreement as an act of “aggression” and strengthened its military connections with Egypt.
Although Somaliland’s one-sided separation from Somalia over thirty years ago, Somalia still considers it to be a part of its territory.
Egypt and Ethiopia have been embroiled in a protracted disagreement around Addis Ababa’s proposal to construct a massive dam on a River Nile tributary.
According to reports, Egypt intends to deploy troops to Somalia after the two countries inked a military agreement last month.
During a broadcast speech on Ethiopia’s Sovereignty Day, PM Abiy stated that the country in east Africa has no plans to instigate hostilities.
He did, however, add that “those who are afar and nearby” should be aware that “we usually embarrass and repel those who dare try to invade us”. “Anyone intending to invade Ethiopia should think not just once but 10 times because one great thing we Ethiopians know is [how] to defend ourselves,” PM Abiy continued.
Karayla çevrili Etiyopya’nın Somaliland ile bir limana erişim hakkı vermek için anlaşma yapma hamlesi Somali’yi çileden çıkardı.
Ayrıca Somaliland, Başbakan Abiy’nin yönetiminin onu egemen bir ulus olarak tanıyan ilk ülke olması karşılığında kıyılarının bir kısmını Etiyopya donanmasına kiralamayı teklif etti.
Geçtiğimiz ay Somali ile Mısır arasındaki ilişkilerin güçlenmesini anmak için iki Mısır C-130 askeri uçağının Somali başkentine varmasının ardından bölgedeki gerginlikler yeni bir zirveye ulaştı.
Raporlara göre, Mısır bağımsız olarak ek 5.000 asker konuşlandırmayı ve yıl sonundan önce Somali’deki yeni Afrika Birliği (AU) gücüne (AUSSOM) katılmak üzere 5.000’e kadar asker göndermeyi planlıyor.
2007’den beri, Somali’de kanlı bir ayaklanmayla mücadele eden el-Şebab olarak bilinen milis grubuna karşı hükümeti desteklemek için bir AU gücü konuşlandırıldı.
Although they are still in the AU mission, Somalia has declared that Ethiopian troops would have to leave before the end of the year.
Since the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) was built in the northern Ethiopian highlands, where 85% of the Nile’s waters originate, Egypt has charged Ethiopia with endangering its supply of water from the river.
Ethiopia views the construction of the Gerd, the largest hydroelectric dam project in Africa, as essential to supplying its energy demands.