MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, is set to visit Addis Ababa for direct talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, aiming to revive a contentious 2024 maritime agreement that grants Ethiopia a naval base on the Red Sea in exchange for recognizing Somaliland’s independence, Caasimada Online news website reported on Monday.
The original Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on January 1, 2024, leased 20 kilometers of Somaliland’s coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years. In return, Addis Ababa would become the first UN member state to formally recognize Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally .
The deal sparked immediate backlash from Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory. Mogadishu recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia and expelled Ethiopian diplomats, accusing them of violating Somalia’s sovereignty. Egypt and Eritrea also condemned the agreement, citing regional security concerns .
In December 2024, a Turkish-mediated agreement in Ankara led to a de-escalation between Ethiopia and Somalia, with both sides agreeing to respect each other’s sovereignty. The MoU was effectively shelved.
Now, President Irro is pushing to revive the agreement, insisting that Ethiopian recognition is non-negotiable for any future implementation. He has pledged to review the MoU in detail and is expected to meet with Prime Minister Abiy in the coming weeks to discuss its terms .
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