A Somali think tank suggests a legal compromise between Somalia and Ethiopia On the Illegal Maritime MoU

[Deeq A.]

Garowe (PP News Desk) — Six months after Ethiopia signed a maritime Memorandum of Understanding with the Somaliland Administration, a secessionist entity, violating Somalia’s sovereignty, the fallout from this legally dubious deal continues to affect Ethiopia-Somalia relations. Last week, talks sponsored by Turkey helped negotiators from both countries to make progress. Several days after the first phase of talks concluded, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed informed the Ethiopian Federal Parliament that Ethiopia has no doubts about Somalia’s territorial and political unity.

To break the deadlock, SIDRA INSTITUTE, a think tank based in Puntland State of Somalia, has proposed a legal compromise based on a model similar to the Indo-Nepal Transit Agreements, which enables landlocked Nepal to access Indian seaports.

“Somalia has no problem with Ethiopia’s non-sovereign access to its ports for trade purposes but strongly rejects any claims to sovereign access, such as establishing a naval base on Somali territory. To resolve the dispute, Ethiopia and Somalia could adopt a model similar to the Indo-Nepal transit agreements. This model emphasises legal agreements, cooperative infrastructure development, and mutual benefits, ensuring Ethiopia’s access to the sea while respecting Somalia’s sovereignty and promoting regional stability,” SIDRA INSTITUTE writes in the policy brief.

This lawful solution proposed by SIDRA INSTITUTE is expected to persuade Ethiopia to respect the international norms given the funding proposal Abiy’s government made to IMF for 10.5 billion dollars. Abiy defended his decision to violate the political unity of Somalia when he spoke to Ethiopian MPs earlier this week. “ Access to the sea is critical for Ethiopia’s growing economy and population. The MoU we signed with Somaliland came after the Somali government’s refusal to talk with Ethiopia in the first place” said Abiy Ahmed. Abiy Ahmed violated article 12 of the Joint Communique issued by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and Abiy Ahmed who was visiting Mogadishu on 16/06/2018: “The two leaders unequivocally stated their mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and the unity of both nations and called upon all Somali actors to relentlessly work towards the unity and cohesiveness of Somalia” reads article 12 of the communique.

© Puntland Post, 2024

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