In a move that has captured international attention, Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has announced plans to relocate the Ethiopian Embassy currently housed within the Somali presidential compound.
The decision follows mounting public protests and concerns about the embassy's location, which many Somalis view as an inappropriate symbol of foreign influence.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Minister Fiqi addressed the growing discontent among the Somali people, emphasizing that the decision to relocate the embassy was made in response to public pressure.
"The concerns raised by the Somali people regarding the embassy's location are valid," Fiqi said. "In light of this, we have decided to move the Ethiopian Embassy to a new location outside of the presidential palace grounds."
The minister also explained that the space currently occupied by the embassy would undergo renovations once the diplomatic mission is moved, suggesting the area would be repurposed for more beneficial uses.
"The current site of the embassy serves no practical purpose for us," Fiqi noted, adding that the government plans to revamp the area following the relocation.
The announcement has already stirred political debate, with some sources pointing to the recent tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, further complicated by a controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ethiopia and the self-declared republic of Somaliland. Observers suggest that the move could be seen as a response to those developments, signaling growing diplomatic frictions between the two Horn of Africa nations.
The relocation announcement comes just one week after a diplomatic incident involving Ali Mohammad Adam, a consultant at the Ethiopian Embassy in Mogadishu.
Reports surfaced that Adam had been engaged in activities deemed to breach diplomatic protocol. In response, Minister Fiqi gave Adam 72 hours to leave Somalia, a decision that underscored the ongoing tension between the two countries.
The relocation plan is understood to have received the full backing of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed's administration, signaling a united front on the issue.
However, Fiqi also hinted at a potential reciprocal diplomatic measure should the relocation face delays or resistance.
"Should this move not proceed as planned, we will formally request that the Somali Embassy in Addis Ababa be granted space within the Ethiopian President's compound," Fiqi remarked, suggesting that Somalia is prepared to take further steps if necessary to maintain its diplomatic stance.
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The decision to move the Ethiopian Embassy out of the presidential compound is not just a response to domestic protests but is also seen as part of a broader recalibration of Somali foreign policy. Somalia has long had a complex relationship with its neighbor Ethiopia, marked by both cooperation and rivalry.
The relocation could be a signal of Somalia's desire to assert greater independence in its foreign affairs, particularly in light of recent shifts in the geopolitical landscape.
The signing of the MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland--a territory that Somalia considers part of its sovereign territory--has raised concerns within the Somali government.
Some analysts believe the agreement could deepen divisions between the two nations, with Somalia viewing Ethiopia's engagement with Somaliland as an infringement on its territorial integrity.
Moreover, the Ethiopian Embassy's location within the presidential compound has long been a sensitive issue, viewed by critics as a symbol of Ethiopia's influence in Somalia's internal affairs. The public outcry against the embassy's location, therefore, reflects broader frustrations with perceived foreign interference in Somali politics.
