An image was recently circulating on different social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, claiming to show a ship hoisting an Ethiopian flag and docked at Berbera port in Somaliland.
However, HaqCheck inspected the posts and verified them as false.
On the 1st of January 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi. Reportedly, this MoU stated that Somaliland would lease 19 kilometers of its Red Sea coastline to Ethiopia around the port city of Berbera.
This agreement comes on the heels of escalating tensions between the two nations. According to reports, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland includes a critical provision: Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland as an independent state in the future, potentially making it the first United Nations member state to do so. This development has sparked significant controversy and drawn sharp criticism from Somalia.
In retaliation, the Somali government has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations, signaling a deepening diplomatic rift. The MoU drew a lot of international attention, and the international community strictly suggested the MoU needs to be implemented in adherence to the sovereignty of neighboring Somalia.
While the claim initially seemed to support the recent memorandum of understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which allows Ethiopia to utilize the port of Berbera, closer inspection reveals the Ethiopian flag was digitally added to the original image using Photoshop.
The original photograph, which specifically doesn’t have the Ethiopian flag, was actually taken in Punta Arenas, Chile—a fact that can be easily verified through reverse image searches. The image was posted on the X account of the Ministry of National Defense of Chile, on June 5th, 20024 accompanied by the caption: “Punta Arenas: This photo shows the colossal nature of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. It will take part in the Passex naval exercise with the Chilean Navy and will dock at the port of Valparaíso on June 11, remaining in the bay until June 15.”
HaqCheck found the post to be false because the image used was not accurate.
HaqCheck contacted the person who claimed to get more information, but the person did not respond until this article was published.