Somalia is adamant that it would not take sides in the River Nile row that pits Ethiopia against Egypt despite pressure from the Arab League.
The Arab League announced that it would be throwing its weight behind Egypt in the row that revolves around the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Egypt feels that the dam’s construction puts the livelihoods of its people at great risk.
However, Ethiopia insists that Egypt has enjoyed a monopoly of using River Nile as it wants without any regard to the East African nations where the river starts.
Recently, the Arab League asked Ethiopia to hold back on its plans to fill the dam with water from River Nile until consultations with Sudan and Egypt are concluded successfully.
Sudan, another East African country and Ethiopia’s neighbor, opted to support Egypt in this row.
Meanwhile, Egypt has sent an appeal for help to the UN Security Council.
Ahmed Isse Awad, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, was categorical that his country would not be involved in the dispute.
The decision is partly because of the warm relations Mogadishu currently enjoys with Addis Ababa, especially since the election of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia.
