Africa : Ethiopia and Somaliland, military talks rekindle regional tensions
On January 8, Ethiopia announced that it was initiating discussions for military cooperation with Somaliland, escalating tensions related to its recent maritime agreement with this separatist region, to the detriment of Somalia on which it depends.
Discussions on this matter took place on Monday between the Chief of the Ethiopian Army, Birhanu Jala, and his counterpart from Somaliland, Nuh Ismail Tani, as indicated in a statement released by the Ethiopian side on Facebook.
A week ago, Addis Ababa had announced the conclusion of an agreement with the leaders of Hargeisa, granting Ethiopia access to the sea for the next five years. In return, the Ethiopian government led by Abiy Ahmed committed to officially recognizing the Republic of Somaliland.
However, this agreement was quickly condemned by the Somali government, which sees it as an infringement on its sovereignty, even as a declaration of war. The day before, the Somali parliament passed a bill canceling the Addis Ababa agreement with Somaliland.
This situation raises concerns among neighboring countries in the region as well as from the African Union, which calls for restraint and respect for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
These recent developments raise concerns about regional stability and require a cautious diplomatic approach to resolve the differences between the involved parties.
