AU urges restraint in Somalia-Ethiopia tensions

The African Union on Wednesday called on Ethiopia and Somalia to exercise restraint and take steps to de-escalate the current tensions amid deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries.  The Xinhua news agency reports that tensions continue to mount in relations between Ethiopia and Somalia after Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia, signed an agreement earlier this month, allowing Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for its recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. Somalia, which views Somaliland as part of its territory, described the agreement as having no legal force and summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for deliberations over the agreement signed between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi on Monday. Meanwhile, the AU Council urged external actors to adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of member states.