Addis Ababa(Mogadishu24)-The African Union has expressed concern over he ongoing tension between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and the northern region of Somalia (Somaliland) on 1 January 2024.

The AU made this in their communique after the two day Summit in Addis Ababa, mentioning its impact on peace, security and stability of the region.

The Communique said that AU reaffirmed its strong commitment and support for preserving the unity, territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all Member States, including those of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The African Union called on the two countries to de-escalate and engage in meaningful dialogue towards finding a peaceful resolution of the matter.

President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sh. Mohamud has on Saturday returned back home without completing the 37th African Union Summit which opened in Addis Ababa, a sign of diplomatic row with Ethiopian Government.

President Hassan attend the first day of two of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian where he also delivered a speech about Somalia’s tough stance against MoU with Somaliland, leasing Ethiopia 20 kilometers of sea access.