Somalia president signs law nullifying Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed a law nullifying an agreement by the breakaway Somaliland region to grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for recognition as an independent nation, he said.

Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory, rejected the New Year’s Day deal that would allow landlocked Ethiopia to lease 20 km around the port of Berbera, on the Gulf of Aden with access to the Red Sea, for 50 years for its navy and commercial purposes.

“This evening, I signed the law nullifying the illegal MoU between the government of Ethiopia and Somaliland,” Mohamud said. “This law is an illustration of our commitment to safeguard our unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity as per international law.”

“This law is an illustration of our commitment to safeguard our Unity, Sovereignty, and Territorial integrity  as per international law”

The President however did not specify what the new Law says and when parliament passed it. There were no official comments from Somaliland or from Ethiopia officials.

Abiy said in October that Ethiopia’s existence was “tied to the Red Sea” adding that if countries in the Horn of Africa “plan to live in peace together ,we need tp find  away to mutually share with each other in a balanced manner”

His national Security advisor has said Ethiopia would offer Somaliland an unspecified  stake in state-owned Ethiopian Airlines .in return to giving it access to the Red Sea.