The deal will pave the way for the landlocked country to use the port of Berbera. Landlocked Ethiopia has signed an initial agreement with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland to use its Red Sea port of Berbera, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office says. Ethiopia was cut off from the coast after Eritrea broke away from Addis Ababa and formally declared independence in 1993 following a three-decade war. Abiy’s office described the deal as “historic”, adding that it “shall pave the way to realise the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaport”. Abdi said that as part of the agreement, Ethiopia would be the first country to recognise Somaliland as an independent nation in due course.

Source: Ethiopian News January 01, 2024 21:10 UTC