It is important to highlight that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland in order to access seaport to the former is a reasonable agreement that ensures the mutual benefit of the two and promotes sustainable peace and development in the region.
Accessing seaport is an existential issue for Ethiopia and its people. However, some nations are attempting to thwart Ethiopia's vision to accessing seaport without any relevant reason. Though they know the existing reality on the ground like the thumb of their hands, they intentionally engaged themselves in spreading cocked up stories.
As all and sundry know the circumstances on the ground and their nefarious intention, all their effortshave been going for nothing and getting off track.
Some opposing forces have been working around the clock with the intention of influencing the country's economic growth and worldwide influence. These nations feel concerned merelyabout their peculiar interests taking no notice of the role Ethiopia plays for stability and development of the horn of Africa.
The East African region port deal should be given global emphasis considering its greater significance to the entire Horn of Africa (HoA) region, the former US diplomat said.
Former Assistant Secretary of State for Africa and currently Texas Tech University Professor Emeritus Tibor Nagy said that Ethiopia's port quest and reached agreements should be supported by the global world as it would have a great potential to spur economic development and safeguard peace and security in the entire region.
The diplomat further remarked that the pact is also a significant monumental milestone towards addressing security related issues in the neighboring as well as in the Red Sea routes. He said: "Ethiopia, with close to about 130 million people, is the world's most populous landlocked nation has long been struggling for access to holding ports."
Besides Eritrea and Djibouti, he said that the country (Ethiopia) also borders four other coastal polities which include Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and Somaliland. Unfortunately, it has long been depended on Djibouti as its single port with one road and railroad to move imports and exports.
The proposed port deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland is still at the aspirational Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) stage with many details to be defined, the general framework will benefit both. If the project is realized, it would have far-reaching security and economic benefits.
Speaking to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), a Political Science Scholar Prof. Biruk Hailu in the recent past stated that Ethiopia's acquisition of a Seagate in the strategic, yet volatile region is of great significance to the area's maritime security and repulsing criminal activities.
The security of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden will be more guaranteed if Ethiopia has direct access to a seaport and can participate well in maritime issues. Besides, the seaport plays a critical role in intensifying its commercial activities and deploying the naval forces. Therefore, Ethiopia's aspiration to direct access to port is justifiable and reasonable on legal, moral and other grounds.
Taking its large population and economic prowess into account, Ethiopia has been suffering a lot in the past 30 and plus years due to the absences of direct access to seaport and the loss has also had a lasting impact on its security and the public wellbeing.
Ethiopia's acquisition of a seaport from Somaliland comes based on two sides' interests and a win-win approach, not by any pressure or coercion.
Likewise, Ethiopia has many commercial ships that are operating as far as China and South America but no party to protect them. Therefore, the agreement would help to protect the ships security through cooperative approach, the expert emphasized.
The agreement reached between Ethiopia and Somaliland to facilitate access to seaport would address economic bottlenecks, said Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics (ESL).
Briefing Journalists, ESL CEO Beriso Amelo (PhD) recently said that, Ethiopia's economic growth and international reputation has been low for centuries as a result of absence of seaport. For this reason, the country's negotiating power has been reduced with regard to the growing price to seaport rental fees and the likes, he stated.
The agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland to pave ways to possess seaport will expedite the cargo system, assure the development of the national economy, and improve Ethiopia's international reputation and influence.
The pact is attributed to the peaceful diplomatic effort in which that benefit the nation in terms of job creation and other economic advantages as the country is an international trade actor. Ethiopia will develop the Somaliland's seaport to reap invaluable economic benefits.
The seaport will have numerous significances regarding achieving rapid economic growth which in return ensures unity among the people and consolidates the national defense force and embodies the nation international reputation.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Political Economic Analyst for Africa Lawrence Freeman said that, Ethiopia, with the largest economy in East Africa, needs multiple port access to facilitate and manage the growing trade and investment in the continent.
The analyst has remarked that, Ethiopia has also a great potential for growth that benefit all the countries in the region through trade expansion. Mentioning Ethiopia's immense military contribution to Somalia, he emphasized that the port diversification would be a viable solution to ensure economic growth in the entire neighbors.
As far as sustainable economic growth is concerned, the countries in the region should strengthen their joint forces without the intervention of external entities.
Ethiopia's long term access to multiple ports would have a paramount importance on realizing growth of the region and all African nations as well. In the same note, it is fundamental to make and sustain smooth investment chain across the region. It is, therefore, advisable to table continental and regional issues to AU, IGAD and other platforms that help amplify scopes of regional shared future and improve the lives of Africans.
All the leaders in the continent should hold discussions in the region to play their role and unleash their potentials that help promote stable regional economic development.
Speaking to the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), Kings of Blue Nile Channel Director Ustaz Jemal Bashir mentioned that different nations that are far from the region have maintained military bases in the Red Sea. "Accordingly, the effort and interest of Ethiopia, which is the nearest landlocked country to the Red Sea, need to secure its share."
While Ethiopia remains the leading ac¬tor in ensuring peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, it is unfair to oppose its interest to have a sovereign access to the sea. Those who are against the inter¬est of Ethiopia have hidden agenda to destabilize the region, he emphasized.
Ethiopia needs to take the diplomatic and legal path to get access to the sea while he called on all segments of the society to discharge their responsibility to this end. Besides creating linkage with the out¬side world, Ethiopia's direct access to the sea enables it to save a huge amount of foreign currency that the country has incurred for port rent.
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In a similar vein, in an interview Political Science Researcher Shimelis Hailu gave in recent times to a local media said owing to its history and proximity to the area, the country would have of a paramount importance on the sustainability of peace and security in the region and Red Sea as well. "Why it strange for Ethiopia, only 60 kilometers away from the sea, to establish a military base in Somaliland while different countries that are far away from the region already have a strong military presence?"
Mentioning the establishment of a council which is aimed at countering various maritime security threats and crimes, he remarked that Ethiopia's membership would help expedite the sustainability of regional peace and security.
As the Red Sea is the route that facilitates 10% of the global trade, he said that it is critical to consolidate surrounding countries' efforts to promote the economic and peace sustainability. "The escalating of terrorism, expansion of Al-Shabaab, chaos in Yemen and other related loopholes are becoming a threat to the region. Therefore, it is critical to make Ethiopia member of the council and beneficiary of sea outlet to help ease the tension in the region."
Leveraging its vibrant military base in the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia has been stretching its hands for the sustainability of peace and stability in the entire region, including Somalia and the Red Sea. In its historical background, Ethiopia, had managed protecting several ports in the Red Sea. Therefore, it is worth mentioning for respective countries to resonate their voices for Ethiopia to admit its quest to sea outlet and discharge its role in the region and ensure mutual benefit more than ever, the researcher remarked.
Editor's Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 2 JULY 2024
