MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somaliland's defense minister has resigned to protest his government signing an agreement to allow landlocked Ethiopia to access Somaliland's coastline. Ateye asserted that in an earlier meeting with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, he expressed his belief that stationing Ethiopian troops in Somaliland was fundamentally inappropriate. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland's president signed the memorandum of understanding for access to the sea last week. As part of the deal, Somaliland would lease a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) stretch of its coastline to Ethiopia. Somaliland’s defense minister accused Ethiopia's prime minister of attempting to acquire the stretch of coastline without proper negotiations.

Source: Ethiopian News January 08, 2024 21:00 UTC