Ethiopia Signs Pact with Somaliland to Access Sea

Ethiopia has taken the first legal steps on a path that could one day enable the landlocked country to gain access to the sea.

Its government says it has signed what is known as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the self-declared republic of Somaliland to use one of its ports.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who signed the MOU with Somaliland’s President Muse Bihi Abdi in the Ethiopian capital, wrote on X that all that can be said is thank god.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Abdi said the agreement included a section stating that Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent country at some point in the future.

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Somaliland’s foreign ministry said in a statement later that the historic agreement ensures Ethiopia’s access to the sea for their naval forces, reciprocated by formal recognition of the republic of Somaliland, marking this as a significant diplomatic milestone for our country.

The details of Monday’s agreement with Somaliland have not been made public but a statement from Mr. Abiy’s office said it would pave the way to realize the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea.

Somaliland has not gained widespread international recognition despite declaring autonomy from Somalia in 1991. Somalia says Somaliland is part of its territory.

Somalia’s SONNA state media agency reported last week that following mediation efforts led by Djibouti, Somalia and Somaliland had agreed to resume talks aimed at resolving their disputes.