Somalia rejects Ethiopia's request to join multinational naval exercise in Somali territorial waters
Posted: 20 Jul 2025, 15:47
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia has rejected Ethiopia’s request to participate in an upcoming multinational naval exercise in Somali territorial waters.
We cannot allow a landlocked nation to operate in our waters. Somalia maintains full sovereignty over its land, sea, and airspace, said Somalia's Defence Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi.
Fiqi emphasized that landlocked states have no legal grounds to operate in the waters of another nation without formal approval, which Somalia has not granted.
There is no precedent or legal framework that allows this kind of involvement, said Fiqi.
The planned coastal drill will move forward without Ethiopia’s participation, according to Somali defence officials, who said only fully authorized partners will be involved in the operation.
