Addis Insight
Tuesday November 5, 2024
Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, has announced plans to relocate the Ethiopian Embassy, currently situated within the presidential compound, to a different location.
In a statement to the media on November 4, Minister Fiqi explained, “The decision was made following public protests over the presence of a foreign embassy within the President’s compound.” He acknowledged the widespread discontent, stating, “The Somali people’s concerns about the embassy’s location are valid. We will promptly take action to move it to a new site outside the presidential palace.”
The minister elaborated, “The previous location of the Ethiopian Embassy currently serves no beneficial purpose. We will renovate that area and relocate the embassy there.”
Should this relocation not proceed as planned, Minister Fiqi suggested a reciprocal move: “We will request that the Somali Embassy in Addis Ababa be granted space within the Ethiopian President’s compound.”
This decision is reported to have the approval of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed’s administration and follows the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which some sources indicate may underscore growing tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.
The situation follows an incident a week prior involving Ali Mohammad Adam, a consultant at the Ethiopian Embassy, who was reportedly found engaged in activities breaching diplomatic protocol. Minister Fiqi ordered his departure from the country within 72 hours.