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Ethiopia congratulates Somaliland over “Free and Fair Election”
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    Saturday November 16, 2024

    Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Friday released a statement congratulating Somaliland for what it called a “free and fair election.”

    The brief statement reads:

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia congratulates the people of Somaliland on the conduct of a peaceful and democratic election. The Ministry also commends the National Electoral Commission of Somaliland for conducting a free and fair election. This process reflects the maturity of Somaliland’s governance and democratic system.”

    Somaliland’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has expressed gratitude to Ethiopia’s statement. “Sincere gratitude to @mfaethiopia , the government, and people of #Ethiopia for their well wishes. #SomalilandElections2024”

    With an estimated total population of 6.2 million, and only 1.2 million registered voters, Somaliland undertook the election on Wednesday.

    The result of the election is expected to be announced on November 21, according to a report by VOA.

    As seen in the statement quoted above, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hailed the National Electoral Commission of Somaliland for what it called a peaceful and democratic election.

    In May 2021, Somaliland held parliamentary and district elections.

    In the election this week, the incumbent president Muse Bihi Abdi (from Kulmiye Party), Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (from Waddani), and Faisal Ali Warabe (from UCID) competed.

    Somaliland has conducted three previous elections since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991.  Yet , it is not yet recognized as an independent state.

    In January this year, Ethiopia and Somalia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). While the former was to recognize Somalia as an independent state, the latter was to grant Ethiopia 20 kilometers of coastal access on a rental basis for fifty years.

    The agreement triggered tension in the region, causing shifting political and military alliances. Somalia saw the agreement as a “violation of its sovereignty.” Turkey initiated a dialogue to resolve the matter between Ethiopia and Somalia, but it did not work.

    Somalia intensified its campaign to garner military and political support against the MoU. The process ultimately led to a formal tripartite agreement between Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia.

    In August this year, Ambassador Teshome Shunde was named Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Somaliland. The move came after Egypt signed a military pact with Somalia and shipped weapons to Somalia.  

    Ethiopia’s formal recognition of the election in Somaliland is another signal that Ethiopia is inclined to recognize Somaliland as an independent state.

     





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