Addis Ababa: 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 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 multisectoral 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 ENA, 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.
‘It is true that Ethiopia is a much larger country. This
country needs access to the sea. And it does not only dependent on Djibouti port but port is also available in Somaliland. In general, I do see that every landlocked country should have access to the sea,’ Swain underlined.
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.
‘The trade and commerce are very important things not only for the development of a particular country, but for regional economic integr
ation.
I think Ethiopia’s access to port is a very good step in that direction that would keep those countries together in the region and that gives opportunities to develop together.’
However, the UNESCO water cooperation chair believed that some regional political forces are trying to jeopardize Ethiopian endeavors to have access to seaport.
Particularly, the chair mentioned Egypt’s antagonistic rhetoric since the signing of the MoU.
Mentioning that Ethiopia once had sea port to access the Red Sea until the early 1990s before Eritrea became an independent country, the chair said the east African nation should have greater access to the rest of the world.
‘The country needs to have access to the sea and this should not be stopped by any country. Because that is almost like blackmailing, a country which is landlocked and you stopped the access.
The access to sea is already important to economic progress for internal and regional development particularly, a country like Ethiopia, which has become an ec
onomic powerhouse in that region.’
Ethiopian News Agency