Somali Police officers hold a banner with a quote from Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during a demonstration in support of Somalia's government following the port deal signed between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland at Eng Yariisow Stadium in Mogadishu on January 3, 2024.
The recent agreement between Ethiopia and the breakaway republic of Somaliland has ignited a firestorm of controversy in the Horn of Africa. The deal involves the leasing of 20km of Somaliland's coastline to landlocked Ethiopia in exchange for shares in Ethiopian Airlines and formal recognition of Somaliland's sovereignty.
While the move has been hailed as a victory in Ethiopia, it has triggered outrage in Somalia, seen as a hostile violation of its sovereignty. What is the permissibility of the agreement, its implications for regional peace and stability?
