Through the agreement, Ethiopia would replace Djibouti as Somaliland’s principal trading outlet, an arrangement that was worth $1.5 billion a year to Djibouti in port fees, and loss of this income will deal a body-blow to the country. Ethiopia has also announced it is developing a navy that would be based on the Red Sea coast. Modern Ethiopia had direct access to the Red Sea from 1952 to 1991, a period marked by sustained conflict with Eritrea, which was seeking independence. Beginning in 2020, authorities in Ethiopia and Eritrea temporarily worked together to fight rebels in Ethiopia’s Tigray province. Taking all of this together, therefore, Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland threatens to ignite the embers of wider regional conflict.

Source: Ethiopian News February 04, 2024 17:09 UTC