Somaliland and Ethiopia are expected to sign the final agreement in about two months
21 April 2016Monday, April 21 2016
Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Isa Kaid, told Deutsche Welle that the agreement on the lease of the Ethiopian naval base to Somaliland is expected to be signed in about two months. The minister stated that three alternative locations have been identified for Ethiopia to lease a naval base.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somaliland has confirmed to Deutsche Welle that three locations where the Ethiopian Navy can establish a military base on lease in Somaliland have been identified.Image Eshete Bekele/DW Eshete Bekele/DW
Somaliland officials, opposition political party leaders and diplomats are expecting the “partnership and cooperation memorandum of understanding” signed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Moses Bihi Abdi to be implemented in the coming months.
When the MoU was signed four months ago on December 22, 2016, the Ethiopian government announced at the time that the negotiations would be completed within one month . Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Isa Kaid, told Deutsche Welle that after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, discussions have been held and technical committees have been appointed.
“Things have been moving well,” Dr. Isa Kaid told Deutsche Welle, although the process has slowed down during the fasting month of Ramadan.
“Everything depends on when the two groups meet to negotiate the agreement,” said Dr. Issa. I think it will be completed in the coming months, maybe in about two months,” he told Deutsche Welle.
Somaliland Finance Minister Saad Ali Shire told Deutsche Welle that the signing of the agreement and the recognition of Somaliland will have political and economic significance.
Somaliland Finance Minister Saad Ali Shire expressed his hope to Deutsche Welle that the agreement will be signed, “when we get recognition, it will be politically important because we will have a voice on the international stage.”
The Minister of Finance said that the recognition that Somaliland will receive will “open the door for investment, trade, travel and development, and it will be beneficial in terms of economy.”
“We can borrow money from international financial institutions,” said Dr. Saad Ali, who expects “many doors” to open for Somaliland as a result of the recognition.
If the agreement is signed, when Somaliland is recognized, Ethiopia will rent a port where it will establish a naval base. Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Isa Kaid confirmed that Somaliland has identified three areas that Ethiopia can lease on the 850-kilometer long coast.
“There are certain areas that we have identified. After we meet with our Ethiopian counterparts, one will be chosen," said the Somaliland Foreign Minister, refusing to name the three locations.
Ethiopia reestablished the navy that was disbanded when the Derg regime collapsed and Eritrea declared its independence after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed seized power. The Ethiopian government, with the support of France and former naval officers, reestablished its navy in 2011.
There is high hope among the residents of Hargeisa that Somaliland will be recognized by the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ethiopia.Image Eshete Bekele/DW
The agreement, which gives the first recognition to Somaliland, will allow the Ethiopian navy to get a military base on a 50-year lease. As Dr. Issa says, “They are not two different things. They are two interconnected things.”
“When we agree to sign the lease agreement, at the same table and on the same day, the Ethiopian declaration recognizing Somaliland should be followed immediately,” explained the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Somaliland declared its independence 33 years ago, on May 18, 1991. However, it has not yet received international recognition.
The Ethiopian government has not yet officially confirmed that it will recognize Somaliland. Deutsche Welle’s efforts to get a response from Ethiopian government officials were also unsuccessful.
The government communication service announced that the memorandum of understanding includes “the process by which the Ethiopian government will take a deep and serious position regarding the efforts of Somaliland to gain recognition”.
About two weeks ago, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nebiu Tedla, told reporters that there was “nothing new or changed” in terms of the memorandum of understanding .
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Moses Bihi Abdi signed the Memorandum of Understanding that allows Ethiopia to have a commercial maritime port, Redwan Hussein, who was the Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser at the time, said.
Somaliland’s finance minister, Dr. Saad Ali Shire, said Berbera port “will be open for use by all parties, including Ethiopian businessmen and the government.” So there is no need to build another port,” he told Deutsche Welle.Image Eshete Bekele/DW
Somaliland’s finance minister, Dr. Saad Ali Shire, said Berbera port “will be open for use by all parties, including Ethiopian businessmen and the government.” So there is no need to build another port,” he told Deutsche Welle.
The agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland provoked the Somali government violently. It is a matter of concern to the international community. The President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, has accused Ethiopia of trying to separate Somalia from the agreement it signed with Somaliland. His government called the MoU a “violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven countries expressed their concerns about the Ethiopian-Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding in a statement they issued at the end of their meeting on the Italian island of Capri last week. He also encouraged Somalia and Ethiopia to resolve the tension between them through dialogue.
“Somaliland is a sovereign country. In this way, we can customize bilateral relations and sign agreements with the countries we want," says Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Issa, but he does not fear that Somalia’s opposition will become an obstacle.
Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation does not fear that the strong opposition of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud and his government will affect the agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland.Image by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP
“We know that President Hassan Sheikh and his team have been trying to get the MOU rejected by going to different countries and different partners. But I don’t think there is any chance that they will be able to do that,” said Dr. Issa, who explained to Deutsche Welle that he is not concerned about the efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia.
Dr. Isa Said says that the Gulf of Aden, where Ethiopia can establish its naval base, has become a dumping ground for illegal byproducts and sludge. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the area is facing many problems including piracy, illegal fishing, illegal human and wildlife trafficking.
Dr. Isa Kaid stated that the Ethiopian Navy has a military base in the Gulf of Aden on the coast of Somaliland and will provide additional guarantees to control and alleviate the problems.
Interesting Development. So does it mean, Ethiopia will be given rights to use SL coast by Mogadishu? How is that going to go down with Somaliland?
Could mean anything really so ambiguous.
LAX WALBA HALKEY IS DHIGTO AYAA LAGU QALAA
Sadly Somalis have become a pawn in geopolitics between Turkey/Qatar and UAE. Instead of coming to amicable agreements between themselves they have become the “lax” on the table and in a race to the bottom.
So true. The only winner here is Addis Abeba.
Somaliland should have put a time limit on the MOU for Addis Abeba to sign or lose. By continueing talks with Mogadishu and not signing the MOU, it is just feels like we are being used as a leverage and Addis Abeba is not an honest partner.
