Somali Cabinet Convenes Urgent Meeting Amidst Diplomatic Turmoil with Somaliland-Ethiopia Agreement

Mogadishu – The Somali cabinet has scheduled an urgent meeting for Tuesday to address and deliberate on the reported agreement between the breakaway Somaliland region and Ethiopia. During this session, decisions pertaining to the agreement will be made.

This is following discussions between Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa on Monday.

The two leaders signed a Strategic partnership allowing Ethiopia to leverage the Berbera Port, enhancing regional connectivity and trade. In an additional agreement, Somaliland has agreed to lease 20 kilometers of its coastline to Ethiopia, providing access to the Ethiopian Navy, also known as the Imperial Ethiopian Navy.

In reciprocation to the gesture of Hargeisa’s goodwill, Mr. Bihi said the Addis Ababa and Federal Government of Ethiopia will recognize the autonomous region. 

Addis Ababa’s potential recognition of Somaliland could create a diplomatic scuffle, aligning with Somaliland’s longstanding pursuit of international acknowledgment since the fall of Siyad Barre’s government in the early ’90s could be a tough option for Ethiopia. 

Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland had last week agreed to resume dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, after long-running political tensions and years of deadlock.

A deal was signed on Friday after two days of talks mediated by Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, the first of their kind since 2020 when similar negotiations stalled.

The northern region has been seeking full statehood since claiming independence from Somalia in 1991, a move fiercely opposed by Mogadishu and not recognised internationally.

Somaliland has often been seen as a beacon of stability in the chaotic Horn of Africa region, although political tensions surfaced there earlier this year, spilling over into deadly violence.

Previous rounds of talks between the two sides have been held on and off between 2012 and 2020 but failed to make any headway.

Title: Breakthrough Strategic Partnership Between Somaliland and Ethiopia Sparks Diplomatic Tensions

The Somali cabinet has scheduled an urgent meeting on Tuesday to address the reported agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland. 

In a strange diplomatic move, Somaliland President Muse Bihi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a strategic partnership agreement, marking a significant shift in regional dynamics. The agreement, reached after discussions in Addis Ababa on Monday, allows Ethiopia to leverage the Berbera Port, enhancing connectivity and trade in the region. 

In an unexpected twist, Somaliland has also agreed to lease 20 kilometers of its coastline to Ethiopia, granting access to the Ethiopian Navy, known as the Imperial Ethiopian Navy. President Bihi expressed gratitude, stating that in return for Hargeisa’s goodwill, Addis Ababa and the Federal Government of Ethiopia would officially recognize Somaliland’s autonomous status.

The emergency cabinet meeting the diplomatic scuffle that Monday’s events could potentially create, given the historical complexities of the region. Somaliland has sought international acknowledgment since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, a move vehemently opposed by Mogadishu and unrecognized on the global stage.

Interestingly, last week saw a positive turn in the relationship between Somalia and Somaliland, as they agreed to resume dialogue after years of political tensions and deadlock. Mediated by Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, the talks culminated in a deal signed on Friday, marking the first such agreement since 2020.

Despite Somaliland being considered a beacon of stability in the tumultuous Horn of Africa, the pursuit of full statehood remains a contentious issue. Previous rounds of talks between the two sides, held intermittently from 2012 to 2020, failed to yield significant progress.