Ethiopia signs agreement with Somaliland paving way to sea access

[muriel_volestrangler]

Ethiopia has taken the first legal steps on a path that could one day enable the landlocked country to gain access to the sea, its government says.

It has signed what is known as a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the self-declared republic of Somaliland to use one of its ports.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has previously described sea access as an existential issue for his country.
...
There were some fears, quickly dampened by the authorities, that this implied trying to take land from another of Ethiopia's neighbours, Eritrea.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-67858566

Good news, as the bit about Eritrea says. I'm not sure why Djibouti wasn't enough for Ethiopia to trade through, but any "no, there isn't a reason to fear war" news is welcome.

[Eugene]

1. Somalia lashes out at Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal

Somalia lashes out at Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal (Al Jazeera)

Somalia’s cabinet says pact allowing Ethiopia to use Red Sea port of Berbera endangers the region’s stability.

Somalia has lashed out at a port deal signed by Ethiopia with the breakaway Somaliland.

Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday, the Somali cabinet said the agreement allowing Ethiopia to use the Red Sea port of Berbera is null and void.

-snip-

The agreement also included recognising Somaliland as an independent nation in due course. Somaliland would also receive a share of state-owned Ethiopian Airlines, according to Redwan.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/2/somalias-cabinet-calls-emergency-meet-on-ethiopia-somaliland-port-deal