Somalia’s cabinet calls emergency meet on Ethiopia, Somaliland port deal

According to the Somali state news agency, the cabinet of Somalia will convene in emergency session on Tuesday to review an agreement Ethiopia struck with the breakaway province of Somaliland, allowing the former to use the Red Sea port of Berbera. Ethiopia, a landlocked country, depends primarily on its neighbour, Djibouti, for its maritime trade. Redwan Hussien, Ethiopia’s national security adviser, stated that the agreement, which was signed in Addis Ababa on Monday by Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, will allow Ethiopia to establish commercial marine operations and gain access to a leased military base on the Red Sea. Redwan stated, without providing any information, that Somaliland would receive a portion of the state-owned Ethiopian Airlines in exchange. The Somali National News Agency (SONNA) reported late on Monday that the cabinet of Somalia will decide on a reaction during its meeting on Tuesday. Notwithstanding its 1991 declaration of independence from Somalia, Somaliland has not attained general international recognition. Somaliland is a part of Somalia, according to Somalia. According to the news agency, Djibouti-led mediation efforts resulted in an agreement last week between Somalia and Somaliland to resume negotiations to settle their differences. (With agency inputs)