It is certain that the Memorandum of Understanding signed on January 1, 2024, between Ethiopia and Somaliland plays a paramount role in accelerating seaport access and oiling the wheels of import-export businesses as soon as practicable.
No matter what doomsayers enunciate on the topic of the seaport access deal with a focus on tarnishing the positive images of the deal, Ethiopia has sustained moving forward in the right direction, turning a blind eye and deaf ear to their usual figment of the imagination.
Notwithstanding the fact that naysayers deliberately proceed, giving the cold shoulder to the existing concrete realities, the wider international community has jumpstarted standing by the side of Ethiopia’s unvarnished truth.
In actual fact, the agreement, which is in compliance with peaceful resolution, is expected to assist the country in generating employment opportunities and other socio-economic circumstances.
In the same manner, access to ports will have an abundance of importance in gearing up accelerated economic growth, which in turn makes certain harmony among the people.
In fact, apart from laying the groundwork for accomplishing the country’s aspiration to assure access to seaports and branch out its stepping stone to seaports, the pact is considered a linchpin of cooperation and collaborative enhancement.
Speaking to ENA, Professor Joseph Yav who is also Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) Life time member & Commercial Law Committee Co-Chair recently said, Ethiopia’s ongoing quest for having access to seaport is acceptable.
Given its geographical, historical, economic backgrounds, Ethiopia has initiated discussions to secure sea outlet based on the principle of mutual benefits and partnership that provide amicable opportunities to strengthen shared development. Quest for coastal access to sea outlets is essentially considered as a legitimate right to Ethiopia with its sizable economy and population as well as the ever growing import-export trade.
Moreover, the country’s direct coastal access is anticipated to increase physical economic growth of the people in the Horn of Africa (HoA), it was learned. For professor Yav, the ongoing Ethiopia’s endeavor to secure seaport is extremely important to expedite regional economic growth and collaboration with neighboring countries.
According to him, there are pathways to achieve this goal through peaceful negotiations and international legal frameworks. “Ethiopia deserves access to the seaport like any other nation,” Yav noted, urging for discussions that respect international law and promote shared resources.
Noting that unlocking maritime opportunities lies in cooperation with neighboring nations, the law professor noted that advocating for agreements facilitate access to coastal waters. There is no doubt that the agreement will meaningfully play a part in developing cooperatively with other nations in the Horn of Africa.
It is an undisputable fact that access for additional ports for Ethiopia is fundamental with the intention of properly accommodating its progressively developing economy and population. If truth be told, there is no time like the present for the worldwide community to support Ethiopia’s yearn for possessing access to seaport.
It is common knowledge that Ethiopia has been encountering economic and security challenges for dozens of years on account of absence of access to seaport.
If truth be told, it is now high time for Ethiopia to rummage around for additional ports for oiling the wheels of import-export businesses. In view of the foregoing, the country has been on the lookout for alternative approaches to access sea with understandable procedures. In a related move, the seaport access deal is crucial to ensure peace and stability in the length and breadth of the country.
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 sea gate in the strategic, yet volatile region is of great significance to the area’s maritime security and repulsing criminal activities.
As to him, 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. Some interest groups’ opposition to the port deal is influenced by the distorted information of our historical enemies.
As a matter of fact, the treaty signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland fixes attention on mutual benefits. It is no hyperbole to say to the deal for sure will smooth the path of the growth of the Horn of Africa and beyond in the shortest possible time and make the future of the region rosy.
Although some groups have continued sparing no effort to sow the seeds of hatred among the people of the Horn of Africa utilizing their usual bogus news stories and perplexing the region, all their endeavors have been missing the intended target and the deliberate objective.
In consideration of the foregoing, Ethiopia in black and white has made an effort at different points in time to familiarize the international community with the prevailing circumstances on the ground.
Albeit Ethiopia’s stance is a bitter pill to swallow for them, worrywarts have maintained disseminating their usual fake news stories throwing the cold shoulder to the existing situation on the ground.
Taking the aforementioned facts on the ground, the various print and electronic media outlets of the country should play a paramount role in bringing into the light the international community as a whole with Ethiopia’s self-evident truth.
The current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Ethiopia has signed with Somaliland is a critical move that would expedite trade and commerce in the east African region, UNESCO Chair on International Water Cooperation Ashok Swain in the recent past said.
The MoU for Partnership and Cooperation inked by Ethiopia and Somaliland includes wide scopes of cooperation in social, economic, political, and military fields.
The memorandum is also intended to serve as a framework for the multispectral partnership between the two sides, and shall pave the way for realizing the aspiration of Ethiopia to secure access to the sea and diversify its access to seaports.
Speaking to local media, Swain stated that access to sea is imperative particularly for Ethiopia, which has been striving to become a regional economic powerhouse in recent years.
According to him, Ethiopia is also one of the sizable economies in the Sub-Saharan African region and also has growing population.
In particular, the UNESCO water cooperation chair pointed out that the MoU to get access to seas is extremely sensible as Ethiopia has an increasing number of population, strategic importance and economic growth.
“Ethiopia needs much more opening to sea and I think Somaliland is a good step in that direction,” he said.
Most importantly, Swain stated that the MoU is important because it would open up the Red Sea for maximizing trade and commerce activities in this significant part of the global trade route.
The deal is also highly anticipated to accelerate regional integration and will enable countries in the region to develop together, he elaborated.
Trade and commerce are very important things not only for the development of a particular country but for regional economic integration.
As long as Ethiopia does not have an inkling of harming any nations, all stakeholders should stand by the side of the country to expedite the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland at the earliest possible time.
As the deal plays a huge role in taking the region to the next level of accomplishment at the earliest possible moment, pertinent bodies should play a part in assisting the progress of economic integration.
It appears clear that if all stakeholders stand in unison, taking the promising moves into account, the region can prosper together just around the corner.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 27 OCTOBER 2024
