The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Amb. Moussa Faki Mahamat, has called for calm and mutual respect to de-escalate the simmering tension between the governments of Ethiopia and Somalia, following the signing of a port access deal between the former and Somaliland.

Somaliland is an unrecognised state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as de jure part of Somalia.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission made the observation in a statement issued on January 3.

The deal in question was signed on Monday, January 1, by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi.It would allow landlocked Ethiopia to get 20 kilometers around the port of Berbera (on Somaliland side), allowing it to access the Red Sea for its navy and commercial purposes. In exchange Somaliland’s President Muse Bihi said Ethiopia would recognise it as an independent state, becoming the first country to do so.

The pact was rejected by the government of Somalia which views Somaliland as part of its territory. Somalia summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for deliberations over the agreement, according to media reports.

Somalia also vowed to defend its territory after Monday’s agreement, which it described as an “aggression” and a “blatant assault” on its sovereignty by neighbouring Ethiopia.

As per the AU statement, Mahamat has been closely following the tension resulting from signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and the region of Somalia (Somaliland).

Mahamat urged the two countries to refrain from any action that unintentionally may lead to a deterioration of the good relations between the two neighbouring eastern African countries. He stressed the imperative to respect unity, territorial integrity and full sovereignty of all AU member states including Somalia and Ethiopia.