By Horn Africa News Staff
Tensions are mounting in the Horn of Africa as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) moves ahead with plans to transfer control of the Berbera port to Ethiopia and potentially establish a military base there. The move has drawn sharp opposition from the Federal Government of Somalia, which considers it a serious violation of the country’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.
The original ownership structure of the Berbera Port, established in 2017, granted 51% to DP World, 30% to Somaliland, and 19% to Ethiopia. However, in 2022, Ethiopia reportedly lost its 19% stake after failing to meet agreed-upon conditions. As a result, DP World’s share increased to 65%, while Somaliland retained its 30%.
Berbera, a strategically located port in the self-declared republic of Somaliland, has long drawn international attention due to its position along major maritime trade routes. In recent months, Ethiopia — a landlocked nation seeking direct access to the sea — has intensified efforts to gain permanent access through Berbera. The UAE, which has heavily invested in the port’s development through a partnership with Somaliland authorities, is said to be finalizing a deal that would grant Ethiopia both commercial and military privileges at the site.
In response, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration has initiated diplomatic engagement with Egypt — a regional rival of Ethiopia, particularly over Nile River water politics. Sources within Villa Somalia confirm that talks with Cairo are intended to form a strategic partnership to counter the Berbera agreement and protect Somalia’s territorial integrity.
“This is not only a Somali matter; it’s a regional issue that impacts security, sovereignty, and the balance of power in the Horn,” said a senior Somali government official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We cannot accept any foreign-backed agreement that undermines our sovereignty or bypasses the federal government.”
The Somali government maintains that only Mogadishu holds the constitutional authority to enter into international agreements involving Somali territory. Nevertheless, Somaliland — which declared independence in 1991 but remains unrecognized internationally — continues to act independently in areas of trade, security, and foreign policy, often creating friction with the federal government.
While Egypt has not officially commented on the reported talks with Somalia, analysts suggest the engagement may signal the formation of a Cairo–Mogadishu axis aimed at countering Ethiopia’s expanding influence in the region.
Meanwhile, protests have erupted in parts of southern Somalia, where civil society groups are demanding international intervention and condemning what they describe as “illegal foreign interference” in Somali affairs.
The African Union and the United Nations have yet to issue formal statements on the matter. However, regional observers warn that the Berbera dispute could escalate into a broader geopolitical flashpoint in an already fragile Horn of Africa.
