An opposition leader won elections in Somaliland, casting doubt over whether the semi-autonomous region will honor a deal that will enable Ethiopia to build a military base on its coast on the Gulf of Aden. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, a former speaker of parliament popularly known as Irro, won about 64% of the ballots cast in the Nov. 13 vote and incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi 34%, official tallies released on Tuesday showed…
Irro has won the election with a landslide,” Muse Hassan Yusuf, the chairman of Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission, said at the announcement of the results in the capital, Hargeisa, Somaliland declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, but has since failed to gain widespread international recognition as a sovereign state.
Under an accord announced on Jan. 1, Somaliland granted Addis Ababa the rights to establish a military base and commercial facilities on its coastline. In exchange, Somaliland would get an unspecified stake in Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest carrier, while Africa’s second-most populous country will consider granting it formal recognition. Somalia has said the deal violates its territorial integrity.
The incoming administration has yet to see the memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia and will likely only reach a decision on the matter after taking office in mid-December, according to Mustafa Ahmed, a representative for the incumbent government. He noted that several key members of Irro’s team oppose the deal.
