Ethiopia's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Ambassador Dina Mufti, said on Monday that efforts to maintain peace and stability in Somalia were taking longer that they should due to Eritrea's continued support of the Islamist extremist opposition group Al-Shabaab.

Ambassador Dina said that despite the ongoing efforts by regional governments and the African Union peace keeping force (AMISOM), Eritrea continues to undermine peace efforts in Somalia.

He said "although relative peace and security has been gained in Somalia, Eritrea hasn't reduced its support to Al-Shabaab and it remains a destabilizing influence."

Ambassador Dina added that "Eritrea continues to violate UN Security Council resolutions and the country absolutely remains to be a regional security threat."

Ethiopia, he said, has its own evidence, as well as international evidence to support the latest allegations against Eritrea.

Ambassador Dina said there was a need for tightened sanctions to put a stop to Eritrea's negative role throughout the region.

The UN Security Council imposed sanctions against Eritrea for its role in financing Al-Shabaab as well as providing it with arms and military training, and for its failure to respond to mediation over its relations with Djibouti and its continued denials that it holds Djiboutian prisoners of war.

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs