Thursday September 12, 2024
Josep Borrell, the European Union's Vice President and Head of Foreign Affairs, delivers a press statement at the Rafah border crossing, addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Josep Borrell, the European Union's Vice President and Head of Foreign Affairs, warned of a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza, drawing comparisons to Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
"What is happening beyond this wall is not a natural disaster. It's a man-made crisis," Borrell said while visiting the Rafah border crossing on the Egyptian side. Leading a European delegation, Borrell described the situation in Gaza as a humanitarian "catastrophe" and urged Israel to protect civilians under international law.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Borrell criticized Israel's forced evacuations of civilians from Rafah, calling them "unacceptable" and warned that continued ground operations would worsen the already dire humanitarian conditions. "Israel is bound by international law to ensure civilian safety," Borrell wrote.
While addressing the media at the Rafah crossing, Borrell made a sensitive comparison between Gaza and Mogadishu. "We must prevent Gaza from becoming the Mogadishu of the Mediterranean or a new Haiti—a place where law and order have collapsed, leaving people in despair and at the mercy of gangs," he said.
His remarks echo a pattern of comments Borrell has made in the past, including his infamous "garden vs jungle" metaphor, where he likened Europe to a "garden" and much of the rest of the world to a "jungle." The analogy was immediately met with widespread backlash, with detractors like the UAE and others accusing him of reinforcing colonial and racist undertones.
In response to the backlash, Borrell issued an apology for any offence caused, but he defended the metaphor, arguing that it reflected the geopolitical disorder in many parts of the world, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His defence, however, did little to quell criticism. Diplomats like Canada's UN Ambassador Bob Rae and politicians worldwide called Borrell's analogy condescending, supporting a superiority complex of the West over the Global South.
Borrell's comments came just days after a phone call with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, during which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Somalia's sovereignty and regional stability. Somalia's presidency thanked the European Union for its ongoing support in combating terrorism and promoting peace in the region.
Borrell previously visited Mogadishu in 2022, where he praised Somalia's progress in state-building and economic reform.