The Commander of the Ethiopian Armed Forces, General Birhanu Jula, said that only a short time is left for Ethiopia to become one of the countries around the Red Sea.
General Birhanu’s statement came a few days after Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement to ease the tension arising from the MoU signed by Ethiopia and Somaliland on January 1, 2024.
The agreement allowed Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea to cross the territory of Somaliland, but it was strongly opposed by the Federal Government of Somalia, which described it as clear aggression.
However, the new statement from General Birhanu has strengthened the suspicion that Addis Ababa still intends to continue with the implementation of the controversial agreement in Somaliland.
“There is only a short time left for Ethiopia to become one of the countries around the Red Sea,” said General Birhanu, but he did not give further details on how this will happen.
The Ethiopian government has not yet officially commented on whether Birhanu’s statement means re-strengthening the MoU agreement with Somaliland.
The government of Somalia has repeatedly warned that any attempt to implement the agreement will be recognized as aggression against its independence.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has already said that the economic future of Ethiopia depends on the availability of a direct port, but he noted that this is sought through peace negotiations.
