Title: "Somaliland President: We Are Proceeding with Agreement with Ethiopia"

The president of the separatist region of Somaliland in Somalia, Musa Abdi, confirmed that his government is moving forward with a previously signed agreement with landlocked Ethiopia to grant it access to the sea in exchange for financial compensation. Abdi noted that "Ethiopia seeks to lease a part of Somaliland's coastline to establish a naval base, rather than engaging in commercial activities as previously thought." He clarified that "in exchange for leasing a distance of 20 kilometers of Somaliland's coast, Ethiopia will recognize the region as an independent state, even though Somaliland has not been internationally recognized." Ethiopia will be able to conduct import and export activities through the port of Berbera, which is the largest port in Somaliland. Ethiopia, with a population of over 120 million, is the most populous landlocked country in the world, having lost its access to the sea when Eritrea separated from it in 1993. Regional and international organizations, as well as Western countries, have condemned the agreement, stating that it contravenes the territorial integrity of Somalia and creates tensions that could threaten stability in the Horn of Africa region.