By M.A. Egge
The Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Federal Government of Ethiopia, H.E Alemu Sime, said that the agreement between the Republic of Somaliland and his country is of great importance for the integration and development of the Horn of Africa.
President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Musa Bihi Abdi and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed Ali, signed a historical Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries in January this year, which is to reach an official agreement on important bilateral interests and opportunities that each side is looking and striving for.
Minister Alemu Sime described the MoU as opening a new page for the Horn of Africa while giving a speech to the Parliament of his country yesterday.
“The Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Somaliland and Ethiopia will make the country’s quest for sea access a reality, open a new page of cooperation that is of great importance and crucial for the interconnectedness of the Horn of Africa,” said Alemu Sime.
The Republic of Somaliland and Ethiopia have appointed technical committees to finalize legally binding official agreement to treatise the cooperation between the two countries which has at its the core the understanding that Ethiopia officially recognizes Somaliland.
It is noteworthy to point out that recently, the Ethiopian Institute of Foreign Affairs hosted the 2nd Red Sea Dialogue in Addis Ababa, focusing on the necessity of regional cooperation in the Red Sea.
Its CEO Jafri Bedru had noted the importance of the connection to the Red Sea to Ethiopia hence emphasized to the media that Ethiopia would never relinquish its interest in the region.