Ethiopia and Somaliland Reach Agreement to Utilize Red Sea Port

Ethiopia has signed an initial agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland to use its port of Berbera. This move is significant because Ethiopia currently relies on neighboring Djibouti for most of its maritime trade. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland will allow Ethiopia to carry out commercial maritime operations in the region by giving it access to a leased military base on the Red Sea. In return, Somaliland will receive a share in Ethiopia Airlines.

It is important to note that Somaliland has not achieved widespread international recognition despite declaring autonomy in 1991. Somalia still refers to Somaliland as part of its territory. Last week, it was reported that Somalia and Somaliland had agreed to resume talks to resolve their disputes following mediation efforts led by Djibouti. This development could have important implications for the region’s maritime trade and geopolitical dynamics.

The signing of the MoU signifies a major step for Ethiopia in diversifying its maritime trade routes and reducing its reliance on Djibouti. Furthermore, the agreement could potentially impact the ongoing disputes between Somalia and Somaliland. This development is significant for the geopolitical dynamics in the Horn of Africa and has the potential to shape future trade and diplomatic relations in the region.

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