Somalia castigates Ethiopia for trying to block President Hassan Sheikh from AU summit

Somalia has condemned what it calls “a provocative attempt by the Ethiopian government,” claiming that Ethiopian security forces tried to block Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud from accessing the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

A government statement said that this action breaches all diplomatic and international protocols and, most critically, the established traditions of the African Union.

According to the government of Somalia,this behavior adds to the growing list of erratic actions by the Ethiopian government in recent times.

Mogadishu described the incident as “outrageous conduct” and called for a full investigation by the pan-African body.

The Somalian President said he had tried again with another head of state, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, but they were also blocked from the AU headquarters, a claim challenged by Ethiopia.

The two countries have been in a bitter diplomatic dispute over the MoU that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland, which reportedly grants the Ethiopian government maritime access as well as the recognition of Somaliland as an independent country from So

malia.