10 Jan 2024 | 03:53 PM UTC
Somalia: Activists to demonstrate in Mogadishu Jan. 11
Activists opposing deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland to protest in Mogadishu, Somalia, Jan. 11. Avoid all demonstrations.
Activists plan to stage demonstrations in Mogadishu Jan. 11. The purpose of the action is to denounce a recent agreement between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, officially part of Somalia, according to the UN. While organizers have not announced specific venues and start times, potential gathering sites include government buildings, public squares, sports grounds, press clubs, and thoroughfares. Rallies typically occur from early morning through late afternoon. Previous well-attended events have attracted tens of thousands of participants.
Increased security and localized transport disruptions will likely persist until the gatherings conclude. Clashes are unlikely to occur but cannot be ruled out.
Avoid the protests. Allow extra time for travel in Mogadishu. Leave the area immediately at the first sign of any security disturbances. Heed instructions from authorities.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia rise after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the president of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Jan. 1 granting Ethiopia a 20-km (12-mile) area in Lughaya Adwal District near the Port of Berbera (Somaliland) for commercial purposes and establishing naval forces. In exchange, Ethiopia will give Somaliland ownership shares in Ethiopian Airlines and reassess the possibility of recognizing Somaliland as an independent nation. The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has opposed the deal, citing it as a violation of its sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.
