13 April 2024
Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia has rejected claims by Kenya that it offered a regional coastal service agreement to ease tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia. Kenya’s proposal aimed to provide landlocked countries in the region with access to seaports through trade agreements.
Somali Foreign Minister Dieta Ali Omar Balad denied the existence of such an agreement on his social media page on April 4, 2024. He reiterated Somalia’s stance of prioritizing territorial integrity and called for regional peace and stability.
Kenya’s Foreign Ministry, however, maintains its proposal.
According to a Kenyan official, the agreement, involving Djibouti and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), would benefit landlocked nations via trade deals. They suggested IGAD could regulate sea access using a legal framework.
This official emphasized that Kenya’s plan respects the sovereignty of both Somalia and Ethiopia.
The dispute stems from Ethiopia’s port agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region seeking independence. Somalia views this agreement as a violation of its territory.
While rejecting a naval base in Somaliland, Somalia expressed openness to discussing commercial port access for Ethiopia through bilateral negotiations. However, they insist Ethiopia must first nullify the Somaliland agreement.
Kenya’s Foreign Ministry claims both Somalia and Ethiopia are considering their proposal and leadership from both nations have been invited for face-to-face talks. Somalia’s official response to the proposed agreement remains unclear.
