Ethiopia’s attempt to gain direct access to the Red Sea has led to a full-blown diplomatic crisis in Africa.
As Splash247 had disclosed, last week the African country’s prime minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland’s separatist region (consisting of the northern provinces of Somalia) to rent 20 km around the Red Sea port of Berbera.
In return, the Ethiopian government had pledged to formally recognize Somaliand as an independent nation and give it a portion of the stakes in its state-owned Airlines. At the weekend, however, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unilaterally revoked the agreement.
Somaliland is located in the Horn of Africa. Its north-west frontier is bordered by Djibouti, by Ethiopia to the south and west and by Somalia to the east. Since 1991, the territory has been governed by democratically elected governments.
Currently, it is only recognized internationally by Taiwan.
Translation by Giles Foster
