The government of landlocked Ethiopia has signed a tentative agreement with Somaliland, a self-proclaimed breakaway republic in northwestern Somalia, granting Ethiopia commercial and military access to the territory’s gateway to the Red Sea – a port deal that seems to be ratcheting up tensions in the turbulent Horn region threatens the African region.

In one Memorandum of understanding signed on Monday with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi, said he would do it Lease more than 12 miles of sea access to the Ethiopian Navy for 50 years. In return, Ethiopia would formally recognize Somaliland as an independent nation, a move that Mr. Abdi said would “set a precedent as the first country to extend international recognition to our country.”

Somaliland would also have a stake in Ethiopia’s state-owned airline, Mr. said. Abiy Ahmed’s national security adviser, Redwan Hussien, said this when announcing the deal. He did not provide any further details.

The agreement for access to the Somali port of Berbera is not legally binding, but could result in an enforceable contract between the two parties after extensive negotiations in the coming months.

Here’s why the agreement is important.

What impact does the deal have on the region?

The pact has shaken the Horn of Africa region, which is already the case burdened by civil warpolitical disputes and widespread humanitarian crises. Observers say the agreement could also lead to further tensions in the Red Sea, a key global shipping route Given the war between Israel and Hamas, things are becoming more and more dangerous.

The biggest objection came from Somalia, where Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s cabinet held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the deal. Somalia’s government called the agreement “null and void” and called on both the African Union and the United Nations Security Council to convene meetings on the issue. Somalia also recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia for urgent consultations.

“Somalia belongs to Somalis,” President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said in an impassioned speech in parliament on Tuesday afternoon in which he vowed to defend his country’s sovereignty. “We will protect every inch of our sacred land and will tolerate no attempts to give up any part of it.”

Just days before, he and Mr. Abdi had done it met in neighboring Djibouti to find a path forward — conversations that experts say are now likely in tatters.

Observers say Eritrea and Egypt will also be concerned that Ethiopia has a large naval presence in the strategic Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

And in Djibouti, which charges Ethiopia about $1.5 billion annually for the use of its ports, the loss of that revenue, observers say, could lead to instability for President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has been in office for more than two decades benefited from this influx of money.

Why is access to the sea important for Ethiopia?

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, lost access to the sea when Eritrea declared independence in 1993.

Since then, Ethiopia has relied on Djibouti for international trade, with more than 95 percent of its imports and exports passing through the Addis Ababa-Djibouti corridor. according to the World Bank. The $1.5 billion a year in fees that Ethiopia spends on using Djibouti’s ports is a huge sum for a country that has done this He found it difficult to service his high debts.

For years, the Ethiopian government has sought to diversify access to seaports, including exploring options in Sudan and Kenya. In 2018, the company signed a deal to acquire a 19 percent stake in the Port of Berbera, but it fell through fall through.

In recent months, Mr. Abiy has become increasingly assertive about his country’s ambitions to acquire a port on the East African coast. In Remarks broadcast on state television In October, he said his government must find a way to free its 126 million people from their “geographical prison.” He also referred to a 19th-century Ethiopian warrior who declared the Red Sea to be Ethiopia’s “natural border.”

The comments shocked the region, and observers and officials feared that Mr. Abiy could start another war when he did faces internal divisions and just a year later the end of the fierce conflict in the country’s northern Tigray region.

“The entire region was in uproar over these statements,” said Samira Gaid, senior analyst for the Horn of Africa at Balqiis Insights, a research consultancy in the Somali capital Mogadishu. “Since then, it has become clear to everyone that a regional hegemon like Ethiopia wants to gain access to the sea.”

What’s in it for Somaliland?

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, adopted its own currency and flag, and held numerous parliamentary and presidential elections. The area is considered an oasis in a turbulent region and is home to a Big literature festival that attracts prominent authors and a marathon in its capital, Hargeisawhich attracts participants from all over the world.

But Somaliland has not received what it wants most: recognition.

President Abdi, who came to power in late 2017, has overstayed his term and is operating under an extension structure that is not recognized by the country’s political opposition. In addition, his government faced a major challenge in the city of Las Anod, human rights groups say Dozens of civilians were killed and injured in fights between the authorities and members of a local clan.

Given all these challenges, “this deal is a lifeline” for President Abdi, Ms. Gaid said. “With this kind of statement, he is now sharpening the edge and now has more negotiating power.”

Hussein Mohammed Contribution to reporting from Mogadishu, Somalia. A New York Times staff writer contributed reporting from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.