More Fallout From Ethiopia, Somaliland Port Deal

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in October 2023: "a population of 150 million can't live in a geographic prison" 

On January 2, 2024 Ahmed signed a deal with Somaliland that would give Ethiopia direct access to the strategic port of Bebera, through the Red Sea. Somalia's ministry of foreign affairs slammed the agreement saying: "there is no space for mediation with Ethiopia unless it retracts an illegal MoU signed with Somaliland writes Kidus Dawit for The Reporter.

The deal was signed largely on the undertaking that Ethiopia would consider recognising Somaliland as an independent country from Somalia, which it declared in 1991.

The move by Ethiopia is considered a danger to peace in the Horn of Africa. An Egyptian diplomat has come out in support of Somalia, calling for the adoption of a unified and strong action against Ethiopia's violations of sovereignty of Arab countries, while the U.S. reports that it is "troubled" by Ethiopia's actions.

Somaliland's sovereignty is not globally recognised, but it has a government and holds elections.

This article originally appeared on AllAfrica

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