Wednesday February 28, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, has expressed Somalia's concern regarding the threat of Houthi attacks against ships in the Red Sea, emphasizing the wide-ranging impact it could have on Somalia and regional security.
In an interview with the East Africa weekly newspaper in Kenya, the ambassador stated that the Houthi attacks would negatively affect the Somali economy and raise concerns about increased terrorist activities in the region.
"We are concerned about issues related to terrorism, economic sabotage, and the possibility of Al Shabaab acquiring more weapons and illegal ammunition from the Houthis via sea routes," he added.
However, the Ambassador emphasized that Ethiopian intervention in Somalia is not the only way to counter the Houthi threat.
"Ethiopia's move is actually empowering an environment where Al Shabaab can use Ethiopia's 'annexation tool' as a recruitment tool. We have already seen that last month, Al Shabaab claimed they were recruiting over 5,000 youth because it claimed the Somali government was incapable of defending Somali territory. Houthis and Al Shabaab joining hands will have a huge implication beyond Somalia," he underscored.
A diplomatic dispute arose between Ethiopia and Somalia after Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, a breakaway Somali territory, in January 2024. The MoU grants the landlocked country access to the Red Sea through the port of Berbera.
Somalia and several Western countries, including the United States, which frequently conducts strikes against militants in Somalia, have expressed concerns that Ethiopia's port deal has bolstered Al Shabaab's recruitment efforts.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud firmly stated that his country would "defend itself" if Ethiopia proceeds with a deal to establish a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland.