“Ethiopia which covers an area of 1.14 million square Kilometers (944,000 square miles) is located in the centre of the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with the Sudan and South Sudan to the west; Eritrea to the north and north-east; Djibouti and Somaliland to the east; Somalia and Kenya to the south”
By: Yumoha Pasha
Somalilandsun – The relationship between the two neigbouring countries of Ethiopia and Somaliland stretch far and wide.
Somaliland which remains internationally unrecognized as a sovereign country over two decades since it pulled out of its voluntary later turned ugly union with Somalia thence devoid of official bi-lateral relations with world governments is fortunate for having Ethiopia as its friend.
Ethiopia which was the first and still remains the only country to establish and maintain full diplomatic relations with Somaliland where, the Addis Ababa authorities have a fully fledged embassy and ambassador resident in Hargeisa.
With some powerful governments purportedly friends of Somaliland claim to have diplomatic relations run by in-house diplomats based in Hargeisa the fact is that they, missions, are nothing more than window dressing gimmicks as the supposed diplomats are in actual fact development and humanitarian experts overseeing related aid by their governments.
But with the Ethiopians who are not only Somaliland’s biggest trading partner but implementing various cooperative arrangements in pursuit of the common of the two peoples like security, commerce, cross border movement etc not to mention that Addis Ababa remains the only foreign entity to respond to a recent appeal for humanitarian assistance to the cyclone affected somalilanders, things with them, Ethiopians, are government to government and people to people and without hidden agendas disguised as friendship.
While all the above is overt information in the know of all and sundry what is not known and the actual essence of this rumbling and neighbour praising singing is the fact that the Ethiopians have gone a step forward and identified Somaliland as one of its neigbouring countries.
As pertains to Location and Boundaries In the official version of its country profile, the Addis Ababa government informs the world that “Ethiopia which covers an area of 1.14 million square Kilometers (944,000 square miles) is located in the centre of the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with the Sudan and South Sudan to the west; Eritrea to the north and north-east; Djibouti and Somaliland to the east; Somalia and Kenya to the south”
If this is not recognition then nothing is
Back to the here and now it is worth mention that the daily improving tangible Ethio-Somaliland relationships are credited to the indefatigable Hargeisa based Ethiopian Charge-de- affairs Brigadier General Berhe Tesfaye whose commitment and diplomatic diligence are overtly discernible to all.
After all is said and done, unsaid and undone Ethiopia and Ethiopians are truly True friends of Somaliland and Somalilanders
Hopefully the ever disbelieving P-Geezer PIS will change tack upon clicking “About Ethiopia the Official Profile”
