Report: Doubts over cooperation agreements between Somalia and Ethiopia
Ethiopia and Somalia signed a cooperation agreement for the economic, political and social sectors. After bilateral talks on Saturday in the Somali capital Mogadishu, President Mohamed Abdullahi Faramajo and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a statement that the two countries will conduct diplomatic and trade activities, including diplomatic and consular offices that will open and "all trade and economic barriers.
The leaders paid attention to economic growth and bilateral investment "to secure a prosperous future for their people, the Horn of Africa and the African continent at the end.
Ahmed is the second Ethiopian leader to visit Somalia. In June 2007, former Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi visited Mogadishu after his forces helped the Somali government defeat the Islamic Courts Union.
Ahmed arrived in Mogadishu on Saturday with tight security and was greeted by the Somali president at the airport.
Ethiopia has more than 4,200 soldiers officially forming part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In addition, several thousand Ethiopian soldiers are operating in different parts of Somalia outside the AMISOM mandate, but under the bilateral agreement with Somalia.
What are the prevailing doubts about the cooperation agreements between the two countries?
Somalia and Ethiopia have announced that they are investing together in four of Somalia's ports (not yet identified) to attract foreign investment in their countries, which has led to doubts about the dimensions of these agreements.
"As an ordinary citizen, I wonder what the goals are behind this cooperation, what are the dimensions of the cooperation," said Ali Omar Mahmoud, Somali political analyst.
Ali, speaking to Alyaman Alaraby, said that the Somali government should reassure the people that it is fully aware of the agreement signed with the Ethiopian government.
Although most experts doubt the seriousness of the agreements, the declared cooperation was welcomed by some experts. Abdulkadir Hassan said the agreement would first serve Somalia and then Ethiopia, adding that the two countries would use any means to promote prosperity and progress for the two peoples.
"Ethiopia is a neighbor, where more than 100 million people live without a single port. We need a policy that serves this huge number of people and to benefit economically," said Abdulkadir.
Somali reactions through social media
The new Somali-Ethiopian deal dominated a vast area of social networking where a large number of network users had a lot of opinions about the deal, while ideas diverged. Some questioned in their posts what this agreement brings to Somalia, while others preferred, pointing out that the agreement serves the benefit of Somalia economically.
"I do not think that cooperation brings us any benefit, it is a new way of controlling the country," Mohammed said in a post on Facebook.
"We will have a good relationship with neighboring countries and we will cooperate economically and security," he added.