Somaliland’s president has declared that his government will move forward with an agreement signed earlier this month with Ethiopia, a landlocked country, to grant Ethiopia access to the sea via Somaliland’s coastline. Ethiopia, Abdi said, is seeking to lease a segment of the coastline for a naval base — and not for commercial activities as previously thought. In exchange for leasing a 20 kilometer- (12.4 mile-) stretch of Somaliland’s coastline, Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Somalia has protested vehemently against the agreement that would grant Ethiopia access to the strategically important Gulf of Aden and beyond that, to the Red Sea. “Eritrea is likely to be deeply concerned, given its deteriorating relationship with Ethiopia and its long Red Sea coastline,” Bryden said.

Source: Ethiopian News January 27, 2024 21:24 UTC