AU appoints Olusegun Obasanjo to Negotiate Ethiopia- Somalia Conflict
(Business Africa Digest)- The African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) has deployed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo for negotiation efforts in a crucial move to prevent potential conflict escalation between Ethiopia and Somalia.
Business Africa Digest recalls that tensions heightened after the secessionist region of Somaliland signed an agreement with Ethiopia on January 1, granting Ethiopia control over a maritime port and a military base on the Red Sea.
The move has led to increasing strain in relations between the neighbouring countries, with Somalia expressing readiness for war.
The historical disputes between Ethiopia and Somalia and recent developments have created a delicate geopolitical situation.
Somaliland hopes that allowing Ethiopia access to its territory…..will gain recognition as an independent state – a claim it has asserted since breaking away from Somalia in 1991.
Obasanjo faces a challenging task as he undertakes negotiation efforts to ease tensions and find a diplomatic resolution to the current crisis.
Ethiopia and Somalia were urged by the Peace and Security Council to adhere to AU and international law principles in their bilateral relations.(Politics Nigeria)
