Edited by Deepali Verma
Somalia’s president signed a bill on January 6 that voids a preliminary agreement for Somaliland to provide landlocked Ethiopia with port access to Somaliland’s coast, in a largely symbolic move that intends to rebuke both parties over a deal that has fuelled tensions across the Horn of Africa.
In a post on X, on January 6 Hassan Sheikh Mohamud voiced that the bill was an “illustration of our commitment that aims to safeguard our unity, sovereignty & territorial integrity as per international law”.
Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 during a civil war in the country’s south and has operated autonomously since. Hargeisa, Somaliland’s capital, is of the opinion that the borders of the former British protectorate of Somaliland in northern Somalia.
The MoU, signed between Somaliland’s president, Muse Bihi, and Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, on January 1, lists the broad sketches of a possible future pact between Addis Ababa and Hargeisa.
Though the details of the memorandum have not been made public hence subject to a lot of speculation, officials have said Somaliland will allow Ethiopia access to the Gulf of Aden with a naval base, in exchange for shares in Ethiopian Airlines and Ethiopian recognition of Somaliland’s independence from Somalia.
An interview with Ethiopia’s state broadcaster, EBC and Redwan Hussein, security adviser to prime minister Abiy Ahmed, informed that his country would be granted 20 km of land across Somaliland’s Gulf of Aden coast for a course of at least 50 years, where Ethiopia will also be granting Somaliland an equivalent value of shares in Ethiopian Airlines to the land acquired.
Senior Somaliland officials have stated that the memorandum, at this point, isn’t legally binding, but would require diplomatic recognition for Hargeisa, a long-sought goal for the self-declared republic.
Ethiopian officials have received mixed messages on this aspect of the deal, with several making arguments for the recognition of Somaliland, but none committing Ethiopia at this stage. In a communique released by Addis Ababa, it was pointed out that it would only make an “in-depth assessment” on taking a position on the issue.
The deal has faced important international condemnation and has angered Somalia, which has described this step as an act of “aggression”.
Urging Ethiopia and Somaliland to reverse course, Somalia’s president said a “Somali territory cannot be exchanged for a [share] in a company like Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Telecom, GERD … even if you offer it in collaboration, we cannot swap for a territory”.
Somalia also called its ambassador back from Ethiopia and has appealed to the international community for support.
The US state department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, informed the reporters at a press conference on January 3 that the US, a significant aid and security partner of Somaliland and Somalia, recognises Somalia within its 1960 borders, that includes Somaliland, and called on all parties to look for resolution through dialogue.
On January 4, the UK put out a statement calling for “complete respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity”, urging “restraint and dialogue” for conflict resolution. The spokesperson for Turkey’s foreign ministry also extended its support for the “unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Somalia.
The EU, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League together have also made appeals to Ethiopia to not proceed with the deal. This is responsible for further increasing the tensions in an already volatile region.
Somaliland appears to be standing strong by the pushback from Mogadishu, saying it would go ahead with a preliminary pact it agreed with Ethiopia.
The deal has fuelled varying public opinion across Somalia and Somaliland, resulting in several demonstrations and counter-demonstrations against the handover of territory to Ethiopia, with which Somalia has a history of conflict.
