The head of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, condemned the maritime agreement between the government of Ethiopia and Somaliland, and described it as a clear violation of international law.
In a memorandum of understanding signed on January 1, Somaliland agreed to lease 20 km of its coastline for 50 years from landlocked Ethiopia, which wants to establish a naval base and commercial port there. .
The agreement raised tensions in the region, and the Arab League supported the Somali government’s rejection of the agreement, which it described as a violation of Somalia’s independence and territorial integrity.
“The agreement is a blatant attack against Arab, African and international principles, and is a clear violation of international law,” said a statement issued at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Wednesday.
They also called on the international community to prevent any action to be used as an excuse to take advantage of the fragility of the internal situation in Somalia.
