MOGADISHU, Somalia – Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has launched a verbal attack on Somalia’s federal government, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing it of plunging the nation into chaos.
Sheikh Ahmed criticized President Mohamud’s deal with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, calling it unexpected given the unresolved tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia over the past year.
He also accused Ethiopia of attempting to seize part of Somalia’s sea to establish a naval base, calling the deal wrong and a threat to Somalia.
“Such agreements burden Somalia and its people; peace will not be achieved through secret deals signed with foreign nations,” he said.
Ahmed further questioned whether Ethiopia had ever revoked its controversial Red Seal access deal with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, which sparked tensions.
“This is not for commercial use. Why is Ethiopia seeking Somalia’s sea instead of access from Djibouti, Kenya, or Eritrea?” he added.
Meanwhile, Senator Abdi Ismail Samatar told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that Somalia’s maritime coasts are not for sale, rejecting the Ankara Declaration between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Samatar firmly rejected any Ethiopian presence on Somali shores, asserting national pride and sovereignty, and labeling Ethiopia as both a cultural and regional adversary of Somalia.
“Somalis stand united against the Ankara Declaration. Ethiopia seeks to colonize Somalia, which will not happen. The last nation to fight such colonization was South Africa,” he said.
President Mohamud’s visit to Ethiopia on Saturday, his first in 10 months, has sparked outrage. Critics accuse him of turning Ethiopia from an enemy to an ally, alleging he aided Ethiopia’s Red Sea access bid.
Last year, Mohamud labeled Ethiopia an enemy, declaring, “Somalia should claim land in Ethiopia if territory is to be taken.” His sudden shift in position has raised questions.
Somalia now faces troops from Ethiopia and Egypt, regional rivals over the Nile River dispute, as they contribute to the new African Union peace mission. This has raised concerns that Somalia could become a battleground in the ongoing conflict.
