Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Meles Alem recalled that Addis Ababa has the responsibility to ensure the security of heads of government and state of all countries during their stay in the country and, for that reason, deploys security personnel.

“However, the president of Somalia (Hassan Sheikh Mohamud) refused to accept the security personnel deployed for him by the Ethiopian government,” Alem said.

He revealed that members of the delegations of several countries participating in the 37th Summit of the African organization also rejected the Mogadishu government’s accusation.

He stressed that Mohamud was received with a welcoming ceremony in a manner similar to that of all heads of Government and State.

He added that security guards of the Somali delegation who attempted to enter the AU headquarters with firearms were prevented from doing so.

Alem’s statements refer to a communiqué issued the day before by Somalia’s Foreign Ministry denouncing the alleged action which, according to the text, “violates all diplomatic and international protocols and, most critically, the established traditions of the African Union”.

The Somali statement specified that since Ethiopia hosts the AU headquarters, its leaders and government have an obligation to treat all African leaders equally.

Hosting the AU is both an honor and a privilege for Ethiopia.

“However, if your government fails to discharge this honor and responsibility with the necessary decorum, it may be necessary for the AU to re-evaluate the location of its headquarters,” it emphasized.

In this regard, Somalia urged the AU to urgently conduct a credible and independent investigation into this outrageous conduct in accordance with the Union’s protocols.

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