New York: Europe and the Arabs
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said that his country is currently facing a "serious threat" from "Ethiopia's attempts to annex parts of Somalia under the guise of securing access to the sea."

Speaking at the General Debate of the General Assembly, Barre described these measures as "illegal and unnecessary," saying that "Somali ports have always been available for Ethiopia's legitimate commercial activities." According to the UN daily news bulletin, the Somali Prime Minister said, "Ethiopia's aggressive maneuvers, including the illegal memorandum of understanding with a separatist group in northern Somalia, undermine Somalia's sovereignty, encourage separatist movements, and threaten our national unity."

The Somali Prime Minister said that these measures come at a time when Somalia is seeking peace and cohesion, adding that these measures "sow division and also serve as propaganda for terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab, which exploit Ethiopia's provocations to recruit and radicalize vulnerable individuals." Hamza Abdi Barre noted that “such destabilizing behavior poses a great threat to the security and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region.”
For his part, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Asteke Selassie said that the memorandum of understanding that Ethiopia concluded with Somaliland is based on the existing political system in Somalia and aims to “achieve shared growth and prosperity in the region.”
He said in his speech before the General Assembly debate that other countries have concluded similar agreements, “and there is no reason for the Federal Government of Somalia to incite hostility that is clearly intended to cover up internal political tensions.” He declared his country’s rejection of what he described as “false accusations against my country.”
The Ethiopian minister expressed his country’s deep concern about the lack of maritime security in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, where the country relies heavily on the safe maritime activities of its 120 million citizens and its large trade.
Taye Asteke Selassie said the region faces threats from conflicts, piracy and other illicit activities, noting that Ethiopia has taken a proactive role in combating these threats and stresses the need for collaborative efforts with neighboring countries to create a more comprehensive approach to maritime security that ensures equal participation of all stakeholders. In addition, he said that terrorism poses a serious threat to peace and security in the Horn of Africa region, especially from extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab. He said his country is confident that the Somali government will soon acknowledge the sacrifices made by his country to liberate Somalia from the grip of terrorist groups.