Hargeysa(Mogadishu24)-Minister of Defense for the Breakaway Republic of Somaliland,Abdiqani Mohamud Ateye on Sunday evening resigned from the post, following the Memorandum of Understanding between his Government and Ethiopia, leasing sea access to Ethiopia.

“Somaliland President entered into agreement with Ethiopian over our ports, it is not acceptable. Ethiopian not only wants Lughaye, but also Seylac and I don’t want them to be in our lands as well as the Somali territory”, Ateye said, expressing his disagreement with President Muse Bihi.

” Look, the public opinion, what was the focus of the Juma, the Friday prayer and demonstrations shaking the region, they all express their opposition against the contract with Ethiopia”, Ateye said while saying the recognition could lead Somaliland to prosper, but said not through granting land to Ethiopia.

He was the first Minister of Somaliland to leave a job due to the sensitive MoU between the Somaliland and Ethiopia, a week after the seaport deal in Addis Ababa on January 1st, 2024.

This comes as two days after President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sh. Mohamud signed a law nullifying the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopian and Somaliland, leasing 20 kilometers of sea access to Ethiopia.