Somalia Federal Government President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has on Monday departed the country’s capital Mogadishu for an official working visit to Asmara, the administrative capital of Eritrea.
According to a statement from the Somali Presidency, the President is expected to engage high level talks with his Eritrean counterpart Isasais Afwerki.
Among the prominent items that are slated to top the agenda include strethening bilateral and diplomatic relations.
The two Heads of States are also scheduled to discuss widely on the current security issue bedeviling the Horn of Africa Nation.
Mohamed’s comes against the backdrop of Somalia’s diplomatic row with Ethiopia over the signing of controversial agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland on the access to the port of Berbera.
Somalia which considers Somaliland as a northern part of its territory ratified a law on Saturday nullifying the Memorandum of Understanding reached between Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the self-declared autonomous State of Somaliland on 1st of this month in Addis Ababa.
The pact paves way for the landlocked Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea through Somaliland, a separatist northwestern region in return for recognition and shares in the Ethiopia’s
national carrier – Ethiopian Airlines and several other telecommunications companies.
The agreement has however continued public outcry in areas under the administration of Somaliland.
Residents of Borama, Burco and Hargeisa have vowed to strenuously defend their land from Ethiopia’s aggression and warned President Muse Bihi Abdi of leasing their territory to a foreign country.
Somalia’s International partners have echoed calls for respect to Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
