Ethiopia and Somaliland Reach Deal, Opening Path for Seaport Access

Ethiopia has taken its first steps towards gaining access to the sea through a new agreement with Somaliland. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) allows Ethiopia to use one of Somaliland's ports, potentially addressing what Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has described as an existential issue for the landlocked country. The signing of the agreement has been seen as a diplomatic victory for Ethiopia, although details of the deal have not been disclosed. The agreement also opens the possibility for Ethiopia to access a leased military base on the Red Sea. While an MoU is not legally binding, it can lead to a treaty that imposes obligations on the signing parties. Somaliland seceded from Somalia over 30 years ago but is not recognized by the African Union or the UN as an independent state. There has been no response from Somalia regarding the announcement. Ethiopia lost its access to the sea when Eritrea seceded in the early 1990s and has relied on the port in Djibouti for its imports and exports.