Ethiopia says
withdrawal from Somalia "irreversible"
Ethiopia's decision to withdraw
its troops from Somalia is "irreversible," said Foreign Ministry
spokesman Wahide Belay on Wednesday.
The decision had got approval of the lower House of People's
Representatives, Wahide told journalists.
"The Ethiopian army, that successfully discharged its mission in
Somalia, will be withdrawn," he stressed.
Ethiopia will continue to support the activities aimed at ensuring
peace and stability in Somalia, after it pulls its troops out of the
Horn of Africa nation by the end of the year, said Wahide. "As the
current chairmanship of the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD), a member of the Peace and Security Council of
the African Union (AU), an active participant in the UN and
international forums, Ethiopia will continue exerting efforts to
help ensure peace and stability in Somalia," said the spokesman.
Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry announced last month that the country
would pull its troops out of Somalia by the end of the year. The
announcement of Ethiopia's withdrawal has caused panic among the AU
Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), whose peacekeepers are to take over
security duties but will need more preparation time.
Currently, the piracy at south Red Sea and along the Gulf of Aden
has become a major international threat, he said, adding that
resolving problems on land of Somalia is the solution.
However, Wahide said Ethiopia alone cannot continue to shoulder the
responsibility. "The responsibility should have been the burden for
the international community to share," he added.
Source:china view
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