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## Ethiopia Silent on Djibouti’s Proposal for Easing Tensions with Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya – Over a month has trickled by, and Ethiopia has yet to respond to Djibouti’s proposal, which aims to ease the strained relations between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu. This initiative, endorsed by multiple international actors, is gaining momentum.
Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs minister, Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, announced last month that Djibouti is poised to resolve the maritime dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia. He mentioned that Djibouti is willing to offer a port to be co-managed by itself and Ethiopia.
Speaking to Voice of America, Youssouf expressed that Djibouti is still waiting on Ethiopia’s response regarding the Tojarah port offering in northern Djibouti. He underscored that the offer is still very much on the table.
The proposition includes the port as an alternative sea gateway for Ethiopia. This landlocked country depends heavily on its neighbors for trade routes. Currently, Ethiopia seeks maritime access through Somalia and has already inked a Memorandum of Understanding with North Western State of Somalia, a self-declared autonomous region of Somalia.
“We aim to dial down the tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia,” Youssouf stated. “By granting Ethiopia access to a northern port for commercial purposes, we hope to foster economic growth for both nations.”
Somalia has reiterated that any deal with Ethiopia will exclude military establishments on Somali soil. However, Somalia is open to commercial agreements. Ethiopia, on the other hand, has agreed to acknowledge North Western State of Somalia’s sovereignty in exchange for a 20-kilometer stretch of the Red Sea coastline.
“We welcome commercial access but remain firm against any naval base,” emphasized Mohamud.
Efforts have been made to mediate the issue between Ethiopia and Somalia. Turkey stepped in to facilitate these discussions last month, but the talks were aborted. Somalia’s insistence that Ethiopia retract its agreement with North Western State of Somalia before any negotiations hampered progress.
AXADLETM
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