France supports Ethiopia’s exploration of maritime access through discussion

French President Emmanuel Macron said his country supports Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea through discussion and while respecting international laws and neighboring countries.

Macron spoke on Saturday after a one-day visit to Addis Ababa, where he held bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

During a press conference, Macron welcomed the Ankara Declaration made by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia in December. 11.

In the declaration, brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “The leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their respect for and commitment to each other’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, as well as to the principles enshrined in international law, the Charter “Constitutional Act of the United Nations and the African Union.”

The two sides also agreed to begin “technical negotiations” by February on the details of Ethiopia’s maritime access, and that those negotiations would be facilitated by Turkey and “concluded and signed” within four months.

The breakthrough comes after a nearly year-long dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia that began on January 1 when Somaliland’s former president, Museveni Bihi Abdi, and Ethiopia’s Abiy agreed to cede a 20-kilometre stretch of Somaliland’s coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years. A memorandum of understanding was signed for leasing, in exchange for diplomatic recognition.

The Somali government rejected the agreement and accused Ethiopia of “gross violations” of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Saturday, President Macron expressed his readiness to support Ethiopia’s legitimate quest for maritime access.

He said France is interested in playing its role in facilitating ways in which maritime access can be achieved responsibly through dialogue, in a manner that recognizes international law and respects neighboring countries.

Abiy said the two leaders had an in-depth discussion on their countries’ efforts for peaceful access to the Red Sea. He said the French President peacefully and diplomatically accepted Ethiopia’s request for support in its quest for maritime access through international law.

“Relations between our two countries continue to grow from strength to strength and I look forward to our discussions during his stay in Ethiopia,” Abiy said of Macron in a post on Twitter.

Macron also touched on a domestic issue in Ethiopia: the implementation in November 2022 of the Pretoria Agreement signed by the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front that ended two years of deadly war.

Macron said France is keen to support those affected by the conflict and uphold the rule of law through the transitional justice process.

Abiy and Macron also visited Ethiopia’s newly renovated National Palace in Addis Ababa, the former home of Emperor Haile Selassie, which was restored with the help of 25 million euros provided by the French Development Agency. The Ethiopian government is planning to open it to the public as a museum.

French architects and other professionals have also taken part in the renovation process, Macron said.

According to Macron, France is also providing funding and technical assistance for ongoing renovations at the rock-hewn churches in Lalibela in the Amhara region. The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.

This is the second time Macron has visited Ethiopia in six years.

Before the trip to Ethiopia, Macron visited the cyclone-hit Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, where residents called for more support in the wake of the cyclone, which devastated the island and killed dozens of people.

Macron also stopped in Djibouti, which hosts the largest French military base on the continent, where he dined with his troops.

After meeting President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Macron described relations with Djibouti as a solid, deep-rooted and far-sighted partnership.