Kenya Hopes to Mediate Ethiopia-Somalia Deal on Maritime Trade

By Al Mayadeen English

12 Apr 2024 19:21

Ethiopia's push for maritime access through Somaliland has spurred tensions in the Horn of Africa, which Kenya seeks to resolve.

Kenya has proposed a regional maritime treaty to resolve tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia after the former reached a deal with the Somaliland government for port access and a naval base in the breakaway territory, a top Kenyan official told Reuters.

On January 1, 2024, Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a deal that granted Ethiopia access to naval and commercial ports along Somaliland's coast, in exchange for recognition of the breakaway republic's independence. On the other hand, the Somali government was steadfast in its position that Somaliland is an integral part of the country, which it will not let go of. 

It is worth noting that Ethiopia, one of the most populace countries in the region, is landlocked, meaning that it has no sovereign access to maritime trading routes.

Kenya is reportedly proposing in consultation with Djibouti, Ethiopia's neighbor on the Red and Arabian Seas through which most of Addis Ababa's trade transits, and the regional bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a treaty that would govern how landlocked states in the region can access ports on commercial terms. 

"IGAD can be able to formulate a treaty for sharing maritime resources," Korir Sing'oei, Kenya's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, told Reuters.

"We continue to engage with all the parties with a view to ensuring that at the end of the day, the region is left all stable," Sing'oei added. On Thursday, Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a meeting with his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto in the Kenyan capital as part of efforts to find a solution to the erupting disputes. Kenya's solution would offer Ethiopia "stable and predictable access to maritime resources," allowing it to carry out business and trade while respecting Somalia's territorial integrity. 

According to Sing'oei, the proposal is being considered by Somalia and Ethiopia, and their leaders have been asked to consider a meeting to advance talks. 

Somaliland, Ethiopian agreement built on shaky grounds

Earlier in March, Ethiopia was reportedly contemplating abandoning its plan to recognize the breakaway state of Somaliland, in response to escalating international pressure urging Ethiopia to reconsider its decision.

The deal promised Ethiopia 50 years of access to the Gulf of Aden. However, the accord triggered a wave of discontent among neighboring nations, with Somalia vehemently opposing the move and other countries, including Egypt, urging caution.

The Somali government was steadfast in its position that Somaliland is an integral part of the country and declared its intention to hold an emergency meeting of its cabinet in response to the memorandum of understanding, as reported by the state news agency Sonna.