Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday accused Ethiopian safety forces of making an attempt to dam his entry to the African Union summit, with Mogadishu describing it as a “provocative” act.
Mohamud's claims come amid a feud between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu over an settlement between Ethiopia and the breakaway area of Somaliland, giving the landlocked nation long-sought entry to the ocean.
“As I ready myself this morning to attend the closed session of the summit, the Ethiopian safety forces blocked my approach,” Mohamud instructed reporters in Addis Ababa after later having access to the venue for the assembly.
He stated he tried once more with one other head of state, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, however they too have been blocked from the AU headquarters.
“A soldier with a rifle stood in entrance of us and denied us entry to this facility,” he stated.
However in a swift rejoinder, Ethiopia stated it had “warmly welcomed” Mohamud and given him full honors to go to heads of state and authorities on the summit.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokeswoman Billene Seyoum instructed AFP that the Somali delegation was blocked when its safety officers tried to enter a location with weapons.
“Somali delegation safety tried to enter the AUC constructing with weapons, which was blocked by AUC safety,” she stated.
Somalia's Overseas Ministry stated in an announcement that it “strongly condemns the Ethiopian authorities's provocative try to hinder the delegation.”
It known as on the AU to conduct a “credible and impartial investigation into this outrageous conduct.”
