Ambiguous Ethiopia port deal fuels uncertainty over Somaliland statehood
International recognition has been a long-sought goal for Somaliland, a region in northern Somalia that has enjoyed de facto independence since 1991. But the terms of that victory differ for Ethiopia and Somaliland, and that could further complicate the situation in the coming days. While Somaliland insists that recognition has already been agreed upon and settled, Addis Ababa has been reluctant to firmly address the matter of statehood. A new strain in relationsAfter Somali independence in 1960 and until the end of the Cold War, the status of Ethiopia’s Somali region, its second largest by area, has been hotly contested between the two countries. “It’s possible that the UAE, which has cordial relations with both Ethiopia and Somaliland, may have encouraged the parties to proceed with the deal,” Mohamed explained.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 20:03 UTC
Arab League backs Somalia in rejecting Ethiopia-Somaliland deal
The Houthis have seized a commercial ship and fired ballistic missiles and drones at commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea, threatening to close the crucial trade corridor to all Israel-bound and Israeli-operated ships. The Houthis claim that the attacks were carried out to put pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza. Separately, Yemen’s government and the Houthis have traded accusations for delaying long-awaited prisoner swap talks. The Houthis’ refusal to free Qahtan, who has been imprisoned since 2015, forced the Yemeni government to suspend negotiations with the militia last year. However, the leader of the Houthis’ prisoner exchange committee, Abdulkader Al-Murtada, accused the Yemeni government on Thursday of hindering the next round of negotiations by refusing to follow previously negotiated UN-brokered pledges, presumably referring to prison visits.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:58 UTC
Türkiye concerned about deal between Ethiopia, Somaliland
The Foreign Ministry expressed concern about a recent agreement signed by Ethiopia and Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland. He said that Türkiye wishes for the settlement of disputes between Somalia and Somaliland through direct negotiations, reiterating Ankara's support for initiatives in this regard. Farhan Jimale, spokesperson and director of Communications & Public Relations for the Somali government, welcomed the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman's statement. In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:48 UTC
African Union Joins US in Calling for Calm in Horn of Africa
Bloomberg BusinessweekCarol Massar and Tim Stenovec bring together the latest news from the world of business and finance and the interesting stories of global technology, politics, economics and more by harnessing the power of Bloomberg Businessweek reporters and editors.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:33 UTC
La Mer! We won’t be Hemmed In for Eternity
The ‘la mer’ that echoes in my ears is the one narrated by the one and only Fitewerari Teklehawariyat Teklemariam. However, we did have historical enemies in the colonial powers of the Ottoman Empire, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Our isolation was so much extended that we were subjected to and we subjected ourselves to countless myths and legends. Just the same there was something a generation of Ethiopian rulers have been lamenting about indiscriminately and incessantly-la mer! Join our Telegram Channel : t.me/borkenaLike borkena on FacebookAdd your Business to Ethiopian Business Listing /Ethiopian Business DirectoryJoin the conversation.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:23 UTC
Vantage | Why Ethiopia-Somaliland Red Sea port deal is bad news for Africa
In Ethiopia, its Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, the Nobel Peace laureate, is causing tensions again. He agreed to recognise the breakaway state in exchange for a long-held desire — access to a Red Sea port. “We are very happy, and we thank the Ethiopian Prime Minister as we sign the agreement here. They will become the first state to recognise Somaliland after the signing of this MoU,” said Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi. Ethiopia has long wanted access to the sea; its Prime Minister recently called it an existential question.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:23 UTC
Ethiopia Launches Major Project to Combat Deforestation, Boost Coffee Production
The project will be implemented under the theme "Preventing Forest Loss, Promoting Restoration, and Integrating Sustainability into Ethiopia's Coffee Value Chains & Food Systems" (FOLUR). Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Assefa, inaugurated the project today at the first FOLUR Project Steering Committee Meeting held in Addis Ababa. Recognizing Ethiopia's rich coffee heritage and diverse landscapes, Fitsum highlighted the challenges posed by deforestation and land degradation, further intensified by climate change and population pressures. "The FOLUR project is a crucial step in addressing these complex challenges," the minister emphasized. "The successful implementation of the FOLUR project requires effective coordination and collaboration among all stakeholders," Fitsum emphasized.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:13 UTC
Why Ethiopia’s Red Sea Port Deal With Somaliland Has Somalia On Edge
Ethiopia has been landlocked since 1993, when Eritrea gained independence after a three-decade war, leaving it reliant on its neighbors’ ports. In 2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed identified regaining ocean access as a strategic objective and warned that failure to secure it could lead to conflict. Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti were incensed and said they would oppose any attempt to infringe on their territories, prompting Abiy to walk back his comments. Then on Jan. 1, Ethiopia struck a deal to secure direct passage to the Red Sea via Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, which will get a stake in its national airline in return. While President Muse Bihi Abdi of Somaliland said Ethiopia will officially recognize his country as a sovereign state, Addis Ababa said that issue is still being assessed.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:06 UTC
News: US calls for dialogue to de-escalate tensions following Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU
He reaffirmed the United States’ acknowledgment of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia, as defined “within its 1960 borders”. Following an emergency cabinet meeting on 02 January 2024, the country declared the MoU “null and void”, and recalled its Ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations. Additionally, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud reiterated to the Somalia Federal Parliament the country’s stance on its territorial inviolability. Somalia views the deal as an infringement on its territorial integrity, considering Somaliland as an integral part of its territory. The European Union has reminded parties of the importance of respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 19:06 UTC
Unrecognised Somaliland leases coast to Ethiopia in exchange for international recognition
The unrecognised Republic of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa has agreed to lease 20km of its coast to landlocked Ethiopia, in exchange for international recognition. Ethiopia has sought access to the sea since it lost its ports when the Eritrea gained independence in 1993. News of the deal between Somaliland and Ethiopia created fury in Somalia, which considers the deal as a violation of its national sovereignty. Ties between the two countries date to the 1980s when Ethiopia helped Somaliland fighters gain de facto independence. The new deal threatens to inflame relations between Ethiopia and Somalia, who have a history of military conflict and strained relations.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 18:44 UTC
Arab League, US condemn Ethiopia-Somaliland Red Sea deal
The Arab League and the United States have rejected a Red Sea access deal between Ethiopia and Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland, saying the pact violates Somalia's sovereignty. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Monday between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, giving Ethiopia access to Red Sea ports. Abiy's office hailed the pact as "historic" and said it is "intended to serve as a framework for the multi-sectoral partnership between the two sides." But Somalia rejected Ethiopia's Red Sea port deal with Somaliland on Tuesday and called the agreement a threat to good neighbourliness and a violation of its sovereignty. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called his Egyptian counterpart late on Tuesday in the wake of the tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa concerning the deal.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 18:43 UTC
Egypt condemns Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland as violation to Somalia’s sovereignty
Egypt expressed its full respect for the unity and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia over its entire territory and its opposition to any actions that would undermine Somali sovereignty. It stressed that Somalia and its people have the exclusive right to benefit from their resources. Ahmed said that Ethiopia had not used the sea gate for years and that this understanding represented a breakthrough in Ethiopia’s history. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud regarded the agreement as a futile attempt and a deviation from reality. The European Union also insisted on respecting Somalia’s sovereignty.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 18:22 UTC
Ethiopia Launches $20.8 Million Coffee Land Use Program (FOLUR)
The Ethiopia coffee project is one of 26 different country projects under the name FOLUR (“Food. Ethiopia Minister of Planning and Development Fitsum Assefa led the inauguration of the FOLUR project in Ethiopia’s capital city Addis Ababa yesterday. The project formally adopts Ethiopia’s new integrated land use policy while seeking to improve the livelihoods of approximately 440,000 people. The project aims to restore 10,500 hectares of unproductive coffee lands, while restoring and managing 60,000 hectares of key forest land. The Ethiopia FOLUR project is being implemented in 22 woredas of four regions: Oromia, Sidama, Central Ethiopia and Southwest region.
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 18:17 UTC
Analysis-Japan Crash Marks Test of How New Carbon Jets Cope in a Disaster
The Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 crashed into a De Havilland Dash-8 coast guard turboprop plane shortly after landing at Haneda airport in Tokyo, bursting in to flames. All 379 people aboard the A350 were evacuated from the burning aircraft, but five of the six coast guard crew were killed. HOW COMPOSITES WORKComposite airframes have several advantages over aluminum planes, said Bjorn Fehrm, a composites expert at trade publication Leeham News. That raises a question about whether firefighters need additional training for handling fires involving composite jets. "One point can be taken for sure, if the heat generated from burning kerosene is that intense, aluminum would also fail."
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 17:01 UTC
Somaliland – Ethiopia port deal sets neighbours on edge
On 1 January, Somalia’s fragile political landscape was shaken by an announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that Somaliland would give neighbouring Ethiopia port access in exchange for official recognition. There's more to this story Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Subscribe Now cancel anytime Already a a subscriber Sign In
Source:Ethiopian News
January 04, 2024 16:53 UTC