Somalia lashes out at ‘null and void’ Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal

Somalia has vowed to defend its territorial integrity by “all legal means possible” after a destabilizing deal inked on Monday (1 January) that has seen its breakaway region of Somaliland gain Ethiopia’s recognition in exchange for the latter’s access to the Red Sea.
Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday (2 January), the Somali cabinet said the agreement allowing Ethiopia to use the Red Sea port of Berbera is ‘null and void’. Mogadishu has also said it was recalling its ambassador to Ethiopia for deliberations, stating that the controversial port deal, which gives landlocked Ethiopia long sought-after access to the Red Sea, endangers the region’s stability. The Somali government also said it was appealing to the United Nations, African Union, the Arab League and regional East African grouping IGAD among others “to stand with the right for Somalia to defend its sovereignty and force Ethiopia to adhere to international laws”.
“Somaliland is part of Somalia under the Somali constitution, so Somalia finds this step to be a clear violation against its sovereignty and unity,” the cabinet said in a statement. According to Redwan Hussien, security adviser to Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement would clear the way for Ethiopia to set up commercial marine operations, giving it access to a leased military base on the Red Sea. The agreement also included recognizing Somaliland as an independent nation in due course. Somaliland would also receive a share of state-owned Ethiopian Airlines, Redwan said. Landlocked since 1991, Ethiopia has relied on neighboring Djibouti for its help in enabling most of its maritime trade but Abiy’s recent claims about his country’s right to access the Red Sea have increased tensions in the region.