Ethiopia has reportedly rejected an offer made by Somalia to co-manage a port. The proposal by Somalia was shared in February this year.
Last year, mediated by Turkiye, Ethiopia and Somalia entered into talks. The talks were held in the backdrop of a controversial MoU signed by Ethiopia with Somaliland to gain sea access. Somalia rejected the MoU, calling it a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In February this year, Somalia offered joint use of any of the four Somali ports: Mogadishu, Hobyo, Merka and Barawe. Somalia refused to allow Ethiopia to build a naval base on Somalia’s coast. Gideon Timotheosn, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, rejected the offer.
Landlocked Ethiopia wants to have sovereign control over a port and over the corridor leading to the port from Ethiopian border. Earlier Djibouti rejected Ethiopian proposal of building a naval base in Djibouti. It offered exclusive use of Tadjourah port to Ethiopia.
While Ethiopia Somalia talks seem to have collapsed, Ethiopia is looking to reactivate MoU with Somaliland. Somaliland President Abdirahman Cirro is expected to visit Ethiopia in coming weeks.
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