Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit strongly criticized the maritime agreement between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, denouncing it as a “blatant violation of international law.”
The memorandum of understanding, signed on January 1, involves Somaliland leasing 20 kilometers (12 miles) of its coastline to landlocked Ethiopia for a period of 50 years. Ethiopia aims to establish a naval base and commercial port in the region.
The accord has heightened tensions in the region, with the Arab League supporting the Somali government’s rejection, citing it as a “violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity”.
“The memorandum constitutes a blatant attack against Arab, African and international principles, and a clear violation of international law,” Aboul Gheit told an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers Wednesday.
He urged the international community to prevent any actions that exploit domestic circumstances or disrupt national dialogue.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but lacks international recognition, faces isolation despite its stability compared to Somalia. With 4.5 million inhabitants, Somaliland issues its own currency and passports.
However, the absence of international acknowledgment hampers its ability to capitalize on its strategic location along the Gulf of Aden, a crucial maritime route leading to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, has sought access to the sea since Eritrea’s 1993 declaration of independence, leaving Ethiopia landlocked.
The maritime agreement has stirred regional complexities and drawn criticism from key stakeholders.
