Toronto – As tension between Ethiopia and Somalia appears more like it is moving in the direction of war following the deployment of Egyptians forces, there are reports suggesting that Djibouti is offering Tadjoura Port for Ethiopia to “have full administration over it.”
The story is based on Djibouti’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, interview with BBC’s “Focus on Africa.”
BBC Amharic framed the news as if the Minister had disclosed “that Djibouti has offered an option to allow Ethiopia to manage the port of Tajura.”
No detail is provided as to when the offer is extended to Ethiopia and if there were any remarks about it from Ethiopia. Details of the conditions under which the offer is made to Ethiopia is unspecified.
Djibouti has been the main beneficiary after Ethiopia was reduced to a landlocked country losing two of its ports in 1991 following the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia in 1993. The country gets well over $1 billion a year in port fees from Ethiopian imports and exports.
Tadjoura, the Port that Djibouti is said to have “offered” to Ethiopia , has over 30,000 population according to some sources and has been used as a port since the 19th century. It is located in the Northern part of Djibouti and is about 206 kilometers to the Port of Assab – which is now part of Eritrea.
“Although Djibouti is a stable country, if the tension in the neighboring country is not eased it is a great concern for his country too,” Mahamoud Ali Youssouf is cited as saying.
Tension between Ethiopia and Somalia developed after the former signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland. The deal, when finalized, offers Ethiopia a 20 kilometers of coastal land in Somaliland on a rental basis for 50 years and Ethiopia to recognize the independence of the breakaway region in North Somalia that existed as a de facto state for over 33 years now.
This week Ethiopia became the first country to send an Ambassador to Somaliland a day after Egyptian military planes arrived in Mogadishu carrying military equipment as part of the arrangement for the deployment of 10,000 Egyptian forces to support Somalia. Somalia has also received support from Eritrea with whom Abiy Ahmed’s government has deteriorated for nearly a year now.
Ethiopia sees its pursuit of access to the sea in Somaliland as a legitimate right while Hassan Sheik’s government in Mogadishu sees it as a “violation of Somalia’s Sovereignty.” The government in Mogadishu does not have any form of control over Somaliland. This week Somaliland announced a new visa policy for all those Somalia Passport holders in response to Somalia’s imposition on Ethiopian Airlines and FlyDubai airline to scrap Somaliland country code from their ticket reservation platforms.
The tension in the region is clearly getting to a point where conflict can happen any time with Ethiopia deploying troops along its borders in Somalia in response to Egyptian troops. There are also reported protests in parts of Somalia against Egyptian forces.
It remains to be seen if “Djibouti’s port offer to Ethiopia” could ease the tension. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia is yet to remark on the “Djibouti” offer.
