UK expresses concern over ‘escalating tensions’ in Horn of Africa

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK expressed concern Thursday over developments following an agreement between Ethiopia and Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland and reaffirmed its support for Somalia.

"The UK is concerned by escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa. We reaffirm our full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia," the British Embassy in Somalia wrote on X.

It called for restraint and dialogue to peacefully resolve issues.

On Monday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea through the port of Berbera in Somaliland.

Somalia rejected the deal, calling it a threat to good neighborliness and a violation of its sovereignty.

Abiy's office hailed the pact as "historic," saying it is "intended to serve as a framework for the multisectoral partnership between the two sides."

Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991.

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.

Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade.