Under a memorandum of understanding signed on Jan. 1, Ethiopia would consider recognising Somaliland's independence in return for gaining access to the Red Sea, partly through the port lease. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not won recognition from any country and the port lease deal, which would be a boon to landlocked Ethiopia, has enraged Somalia. "There is no space for mediation unless Ethiopia retracts its illegal MOU and reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia," Somalia's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Thursday. Under the deal, which still has to be finalised, Ethiopia would lease 20 km (12 miles) of coastland around the port of Berbera, on the Gulf of Aden, for 50 years for military and commercial purposes. (Reporting by Giulia Paravicini in Nairobi and Dawit Endeshaw in Addis Ababa; Editing by Aaron Ross, Frances Kerry and Gareth Jones)

Source: Ethiopian News January 18, 2024 13:49 UTC