Ethiopia has signed an agreement with Somaliland, a northern region of Somalia which proclaimed itself independent in 1991, but is not recognized by the international community. The agreement, according to what the Reuters agency reports which cites sources close to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, provides for the Ethiopian use of the port of Berbera on the Red Sea. Currently, landlocked Ethiopia relies on neighboring Djibouti for most of its maritime trade. The agreement was signed during a ceremony which took place in Addis Ababa and was attended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the President of Somaliland Muse Bihi Abdi.
President Abdi said that as part of the agreement, Ethiopia pledges to be the first country to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation in due course. Ethiopia will be allowed to carry out commercial maritime operations in Berbera port. Part of the Red Sea port will be leased to Addis Ababa which will be able to use it as a military base. For its part, Somaliland will receive, in addition to a rent, a stake in state-owned Ethiopian Airlines. [Da Redazione InfoAfrica]
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