Since October 2023, there have been numerous Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. Such attacks endanger the lives of civilians on board commercial and merchant vessels and violate the freedom of the high seas and the right of passage in straits used for international navigation under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In accordance with international law, the UNSC has called for an immediate end to the attacks by the Houthis, reaffirming the need to respect the exercise of the navigational rights and freedoms of commercial and merchant ships in accordance with international law and noting the right of Member States to protect their ships from attacks, including attacks that undermine navigational rights and freedoms, in accordance with international law. However, the UNSC resolution is being flouted by the Houthis and military action must be taken against them. Turkey seems to be using this confusion to strengthen its influence in the region. Turkey signed a naval agreement with Somalia on 21 February. This agreement threatens the security of Somaliland in several ways. We discuss the situation with His Excellency Mr Kaysar Maxamed, Ambassador of Somaliland to the EU and Benelux.
Q: Mr Ambassador, what is your personal view on this latest move by Turkey?
Ambassador Kaysar: The recent agreement between Turkey and Somalia has raised concerns about its secrecy and the possibility of increased militarization in the region. There is a lot of secrecy. Even Somali MPs have not been privy to the details of the agreement they ratified.
Furthermore, the influx of arms and foreign military presence in Somalia could exacerbate the conflict and lead to further bloodshed. Political instability and violence were already present in the region and the emergence of new military actors could further destabilise the situation. In addition, the agreement will help Al-Shabaab to recruit more fighters, as they said in a press release this morning.
Q: In your opinion, does the agreement just reached between Ankara and Mogadishu not jeopardise the agreement Somaliland has with Ethiopia to allow Ethiopia to establish a naval base along the Red Sea?
Ambassador Kaysar: The agreement just concluded between Turkey and Somalia is very worrying for Somaliland. Despite Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s assurances that Somalia does not want foreign powers fighting on its territory, and his efforts to reassure the international community that the agreement just signed with Turkey is not directed against Ethiopia, we cannot be at all reassured that the agreement, approved by the Somali Council of Ministers for a period of ten years, gives Turkey « full authority » over Somali territorial waters and commits Turkey to their protection.
In addition, this new agreement will strengthen relations between Somalia and Turkey, which has already set up a military base in Mogadishu since 2017 to train Somali soldiers, in particular members of the elite GorGor militia fighting the Shabaab. The expanded naval cooperation will provide a stable presence for the Turkish Navy in the waters of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf, where Ankara has had a naval base in Qatar for several years.
Q: The question is, what can Somaliland do in this case? How did the Somaliland government receive this agreement in the first place?
Ambassador Kaysar: Somaliland President Muse Bihi, for his part, reacted to the agreement that has just been signed, saying that Somaliland will definitely apply the agreement with Ethiopia, even though Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has almost called on Ethiopia and Egypt to intervene in the conflict. Even Cairo, which is in conflict with Addis Ababa over the famous Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, has signed a defence agreement with Mogadishu. In parallel to the agreement with Somalia, Turkey has signed an agreement with Djibouti in which Ankara undertakes to provide military training and funding to the armed forces of the small state at the mouth of the Bab el Mandab Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, further destabilising the region.
Q: Is Somaliland playing a role in the Red Sea conflict. Does Somaliland have any connection to the Houthis?
Ambassador Kaysar: No. Somaliland is an oasis of peace and stability. It’s a stalwart against piracy and has been collaborating with the international community to combat crimes in the high seas. Our effective coastguard has been successfully deterring piracy along our 850 km coastline. The Republic of Somaliland is Independent country and we are not part of the agreement between the Somalia and Turkey, Somaliland will not allow any county to violate its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Q: Could Somaliland give help to the international community to solve the present Red Sea problem if it were asked?
Ambassador Kaysar: Somaliland is well-positioned to assist the international community in addressing the current challenges in the Red Sea region. Our coastguard has a wealth of experience to share in terms of maintaining peace and stability. However, the recent agreement between Mogadishu factions and Turkey is likely to create more instability in the region.
Q: There has been a disagreement between Somaliland and Somalia regarding airspace control. Can you tell us about that issue?
Ambassador Kaysar: Initially, the two countries agreed to share control when ICAO handed the responsibility back to Somalis. However, Somalia has since reneged on the agreement and has begun to weaponize air traffic controllers, even denying air ambulances from landing in Hargeisa for medical evacuations. They are still attempting to communicate with airlines in Somaliland’s airspace, posing a risk to civilian aircraft in mid-air. I would like to remind the international community that Mogadishu will bear full responsibility if an incident occurs.
