By Dawan Africa - Reporter
NAIROBI, Kenya (Mogadishu24) – For the Horn of Africa, 2024 has started with a contentious agreement that has set the stage for a tense year ahead.On Monday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hosted Muse Bihi Abdi, president of the breakaway region of Somaliland, in the capital Addis Ababa.The two leaders signed a memorandum of understanding for Ethiopia to lease a 20-kilometer (12-mile) stretch of coastal land in Somaliland, giving the landlocked nation crucial access to the Red Sea through the port of Berbera.In return, according to various reports, Somaliland will get shares in Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier, and possibly formal recognition of its sovereignty, something that has remained elusive since the former British protectorate declared independence from Somalia in 1991.As expected, Somalia has lashed out at the agreement, terming it a violation of its sovereignty and recalling its ambassador from Ethiopia.Mogadishu has drawn support from major regional and international players, including the US, UK, EU and Türkiye.
By Andrew Wasike
Source: AA
