Somalia expels Ethiopia’s ambassador for ‘direct interference’ in the country’s internal affairs

Somalia has announced that it has expelled Ethiopia’s ambassador as tensions continue to rise over a controversial port deal in the breakaway Somaliland region.

On Thursday, the Somali prime minister’s office announced that Ethiopian Ambassador Mukhtar Mohamed was sent to his country for consultations. Mogadishu also closed the Ethiopian consulates in Hargeisa, the largest city and capital of Somaliland, and Garowe, the capital of Puntland’s second autonomous region.

In the statement made by the Prime Ministry of Somalia, the following statements were made: “The open intervention of the Ethiopian government in the internal affairs of Somalia is a violation of Somalia’s independence and sovereignty.”

Somali Foreign Minister Ali Omar made a brief statement to X, adding that Mohammed was given 72 hours to leave the country. He wrote: “Somalia maintains its sovereignty. “We are determined to protect our region with determination,” he said.