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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.
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This could be taken as an attractive offer. My question was, is the port ready to use facility or does it have to be built up? If it has to be developed, who is gonna pay for it? Is it a lease and if so for how long? I hope the dear editors of this esteemed website will use their investigative prowess and find out the details of the offer. I still see this as an attractive offer by the dear neighbors who have been able to get their house in order since their independence. Extremely wise people whe were so smart in deciding to going it alone in 1977. The did not make a fatal decision that their neighbors to the East did in 1960.
This could be valuable and alternative offer and good opportunity but the problem is that Abiy’s
and his Oromuma crew have difficulty of focusing and examining through on any particular issue and prolem big or small , consequential or not, controversial or reasonable, and domedtic or external to solve it.
Djibouti is offering Tadjoura Port for Ethiopia to “have full administration over it.” ‘
If this offer is for an indefinite “full administration over the port” and perhaps some additional space for the port expansion, then Ethiopia must take this offer and leave Somalia to deal with its internal problems.
Ethiopia’s need at this time is to get access to the sea, to develop trade activities and grow its economic condition to improve the lives of its people as well as pay its debt-burden as quickly as possible.
We do not need a ‘Navy” while still holding enormous amounts of debt that will erode the wealth of the nation’s future. Instead we need to focus on productive & value-added economic development activities rather than diverting our focus on expenditures that will require more funding to be spent on building some other nations’ Naval-shipyards and Military Industrial Complexes (MIC) of the developed world elsewhere.
It is a misguided idea to look to create a Naval-enemy where we do not have one, while our people do not have access to clean water and electricity supply; and children have to travel for miles everyday to fetch-water for their families.
Focus on INCOME generating-development projects, not on those creating-expenses while still BORROWING from IMF & WB to make ends-meet.
Stop these destructive ‘fool’s errand’ ideas.
“It is the economy stupid”; when you build your economy & focus on accumulating wealth and become successful, they come to you, you do not have to go around begging for ‘ports’, or anything else…
Take the offer here, and build upon it, create an atmosphere of peace around you where no one resists but comes to you, without you projecting any influence over anyone.
Abrasiveness is the biggest problem in the world today, do not mimic the abrasive so-called ‘powers’ of the world today, because it will not end well for those who do.
Be well