UN chief urges dialogue as Ethiopia-Somaliland Maritime deal sparks regional tensions

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on Addis Ababa and Mogadishu to engage in dialogue to resolve their dispute over Ethiopia’s recent maritime agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland.

The deal, signed on January 1, granting landlocked Ethiopia access to the sea, has heightened tensions in the Horn of Africa.

In return for the coveted sea access, Somaliland, which declared unilateral independence in 1991, asserts that Ethiopia will grant it formal recognition. However, Addis Ababa has not confirmed this arrangement. Somalia, in response, has rejected any mediation with Ethiopia unless the maritime pact is annulled and has vowed to oppose it through “all legal means.”

Speaking at a press conference during the G77 plus China summit in Uganda, Guterres emphasized the importance of dialogue to overcome the current situation.

His comments align with international calls led by the United States, China, the European Union, African Union, and Arab League urging respect for Somali sovereignty.

Ethiopia and Somalia, with a history of turbulent relations and territorial disputes, fought two wars in the late 20th century. The maritime pact has been labeled an “act of aggression” by Mogadishu, while Ethiopia maintains that no laws have been violated.

Under the terms of the agreement, Somaliland has agreed to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of its coast to Ethiopia for 50 years, allowing the establishment of a naval base and a commercial port.

Somalia vehemently rejects the independence claim made by Somaliland, a former British protectorate with a population of 4.5 million that lacks international recognition.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, lost its coastal access when Eritrea seceded and declared independence in 1993 after a three-decade war. The conflict further escalated when Ethiopia and Eritrea went to war between 1998 and 2000. Since then, Ethiopia has primarily relied on Djibouti for its sea trade.

While Somaliland enjoys relative stability, Somalia has faced decades of civil war and a persistent Islamist insurgency. The ongoing dispute underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Horn of Africa.