Somaliland president says contentious Ethiopia deal can deter Red Sea assaults
Muse Bihi Abdi says accord can secure ‘freedom of navigation’ in waterway where Houthi rebels have attacked international shipping
Some quotes:
A senior Ethiopian official involved in the Somaliland talks said he was “optimistic” that an final agreement would materialise, adding: “It’s just a matter of realpolitik and necessity.” Omar Mahmood, senior analyst for Eastern Africa with Crisis Group, said that while the deal had created significant “blowback”, Ethiopia did not want to “completely give it up”.
Somaliland has recently struggled to contain violence in its east, where some local clan leaders have declared their intention to sever ties with Hargeisa and rejoin Somalia. But the breakaway country has delivered relative stability to its 5.7mn people compared with Somalia, which collapsed into conflict and warlord feuds after the fall of Barre and has been battling a brutal Islamist insurgency linked to al-Qaeda.
He also sought to play down tensions with Somalia, saying war between the two was “impossible”. He also said the deal could actually help “prevent” any potential conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea by satisfying Addis Ababa’s need for sea access. “We’ve been working towards international recognition of our independent status for over 33 years,” Bihi Abdi said. “We’re ready.”
