A rally in the capital, Mogadishu, denounces infringement on Somalia’s marine domain.
A large crowd of Somali citizens converged at the Conis Stadium in Mogadishu on Wednesday to protest against the recent deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland over sea and port rights.
It is reported that Ethiopia has secured a 50-year exclusive lease on the sea, which has sparked fears about Somalia’s territorial integrity.
The rally was arranged by the Mogadishu regional administration to give residents an opportunity to voice their grievances over the apparent infringement on Somalia’s marine domain, as Somalia doesn’t recognize Somaliland as a separate country.
At the event, Somalis were waving signs and shouting slogans, expressing their worry that the lease deal would compromise Somalia’s national interests and endanger their livelihoods.
Protesters said that the lease could set a precedent for more resource extraction in Somalia.
Some of them, such as Hussein Gesey, advised the Ethiopian government to stop its violations and interference.
“We would first ask Ethiopia to stop meddling in Somalia. Somalia is a sovereign nation with well-defined borders that are recognized by the UN, and I would ask them to respect that and follow the rules.” Gesey said
Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, the Interior Minister of the Somali federal government, addressed the thousands of demonstrators at the rally and said, “the federal government cannot accept that we are disregarded by an Ethiopian prime minister who undermines our federal government’s role by delegitimizing it. That is a breach and unacceptable.”
The speakers also called on the crowd to unite to protect the sovereignty of Somalia, as they warned about the risks of the agreement.
During the rally, attendees discussed the possible long-term consequences of the deal, as well as the need for a common front to counter any potential challenges to national independence and economic stability that could arise from the deal in the future.
