Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, a move not recognized internationally and staunchly opposed by Mogadishu although in reality the central government exercises little authority over the region’s affairs NAIROBI: The Ethiopian government on Wednesday defended a controversial deal with the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland, saying no laws have been transgressed. The agreement — which gives landlocked Ethiopia long-sought access to the Red Sea — has been condemned by the government in Mogadishu as an “aggression” and a “blatant assault” on its sovereignty. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, a move not recognized internationally and staunchly opposed by Mogadishu although in reality the central government exercises little authority over the region’s affairs. The memorandum of understanding signed in Addis Ababa on Monday gives Ethiopia a military base and access to commercial maritime services on the Red Sea. Somaliland’s president Muse Bihi Abdi said in a statement that in exchange, Ethiopia would “formally recognize” Somaliland, a former British protectorate of about 4.5 million people. But the Ethiopian government has not confirmed this. In a statement on Wednesday it said the deal “includes provisions for the Ethiopian government to make an in-depth assessment toward taking a position regarding the efforts of Somaliland to gain recognition.” The deal has infuriated the government in Mogadishu, which has vowed to defend its territory “by any legal means” and also recalled its ambassador in Ethiopia. But the Ethiopian statement said: “No party or country will be affected by this MOU. There is no broken trust nor is there any laws that have been transgressed.” It said that even though Somaliland has not been fully recognized, it has nevertheless signed agreements with various countries, including for port development. “Yet there has been no murmur or complaint when this materialized,” it added. The deal was signed several months after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his country, Africa’s second most populous, would assert its right to access the Red Sea, sparking concerns among its neighbors. Ethiopia was cut off from the coast after Eritrea seceded and declared independence in 1993 following a three-decade war. Addis Ababa had maintained access to a port in Eritrea until the two countries went to war in 1998-2000, and since then Ethiopia funnels most of its trade through Djibouti. Ethiopia’s economy has been constrained by its lack of maritime access, and the Berbera port in Somaliland offers a gateway to the Red Sea and further north to the Suez Canal.