Doha(Mogadishu24)-The Third Session of the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with Central Asian Countries and The Republic of Azerbaijan concluded in Doha with a strong reaffirmation of support for Somalia’s security, stability, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Under the theme “Prospects for Joint Cooperation between Challenges and Aspirations,” the forum’s ministers emphasized their backing for the Somali government’s efforts to preserve its sovereignty on land, sea, and air.

They reiterated the Federal Republic of Somalia’s right to legitimately defend its lands, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and relevant articles of the Charter of the League of Arab States.

The ministers expressed solidarity and full support for Somalia’s stance on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and the “Somaliland” region on January 1, 2024. They deemed the memorandum null, void, and unacceptable, considering it a violation of international law, Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the principles of good-neighborly relations and peaceful coexistence.

Furthermore, the ministers rejected any legal, political, commercial, or military implications arising from the memorandum, urging all countries to condemn and reject it. They also denounced attempts to use the memorandum to create a new geopolitical reality in the Gulf of Aden, off the Somali coast, and the Red Sea, viewing it as a threat to Arab national security and navigation in these vital waterways.

The forum concluded with a strong message of solidarity with Somalia and a call for concerted efforts to enhance cooperation and address common challenges in the region.