Vantage | Why Ethiopia-Somaliland Red Sea port deal is bad news for Africa

In Ethiopia, its Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, the Nobel Peace laureate, is causing tensions again. He has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland. Somaliland is a self-governed territory in the Horn of Africa and not a separate country. It is internationally recognised as a part of Somalia. It is a delicate status quo. But on Monday, Abiy Ahmed tore it apart. He agreed to recognise the breakaway state in exchange for a long-held desire — access to a Red Sea port. That is what Ethiopia is getting in return — the port of Berbera. “We are very happy, and we thank the Ethiopian Prime Minister as we sign the agreement here. We allow them 20 km (12.4 miles) of our sea and they will also recognise us as an independent state. They will become the first state to recognise Somaliland after the signing of this MoU,” said Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi. It is an opportunistic move. Ethiopia has long wanted access to the sea; its Prime Minister recently called it an existential question. That is, access to the Red Sea was an existential question for Ethiopia — one that may eventually lead to war. He was criticised for inflaming regional tensions, and on Monday, he made a passing reference to his inflammatory rhetoric. “This will be the starting point for our cooperation with the brotherly people of Somaliland to grow and develop together in cooperation and to ensure our common security. As we have repeatedly stated previously, we do not wish to use force on anyone, rather, we will use what we have cooperatively. This is the good news we bring to all the people of Ethiopia, Somaliland and all the peace and development loving people on this first day of the new year,” said Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed. Now one may think this is an improvement, a move away from war, but one must look at the bigger picture. Somaliland is a disputed territory. It declared independence from Somalia back in 1991 – 33 years ago – but no country has recognised it yet, and neither has the United Nations. This is because both Somalia and Somaliland are home to the same people. They also share similar religious compositions, and they are adjacent territories. History and political differences have led to the situation between them, which is why the world refuses to recognise Somaliland’s independence. But now, Abiy Ahmed has broken with this tradition. He has put his own desires above common sense. This could throw the Horn of Africa into chaos.

A similar example for the context: Pakistan has occupied a part of the Indian region of Kashmir. Islamabad’s troops have been squatting in the region for years. It has been a decades-old fight between India and Pakistan. But then China decided to poke its nose into the affair. It started building infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. As part of its Belt and Road Initiative. So, of course, India will have grievances with the Chinese. In the same way, Somalia is obviously angry. “Ethiopia’s step is an offensive that endangers the stability and peace of the region which was already wobbling with problems. It is a violation and an open invasion of Somalia’s sovereignty, freedom, and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The so-called Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement of Cooperation is null and void,” said spokesman for Somali government, Farhan Mohamed Jimale. Somalia has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia and has vowed to defend its territory by “any legal means”. So Abiy Ahmed’s port deal is problematic. It may lead to a conflict between the two African nations. Somaliland could get involved too. Leading to further chaos in the Horn of Africa, and this is Abiy Ahmed’s latest contribution. He has been the Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018, and in this period, he has overseen three major civil conflicts. He has also caused Ethiopia’s relationships with its neighbours to sour. And despite this, he remains a Nobel Peace laureate. His latest move may lead to a new war in one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: Abiy Ahmed’s Nobel Peace Prize is a farce. It should be rescinded, and his actions must be condemned. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.