MOGADISHU, Somalia – President of Federal Republic of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) has agreed to be giving the coastal town of Marka to Ethiopia, following Ethiopia-Eritrea-Somali talks in Ethiopia 12 November.

Marka, a coastal town lies about 91km southwest of Somali capital Mogadishu.

The talks held by Ethiopia-Eritrea-Somali leaders in Ethiopia were mainly discussed the port town of Marka in Somalia, sources, who asked to be anonymous said.

Marka will be among in a joint investment in Somali ports in what could be seen as Premier Abiy Ahmed’s move to legitimize logistical deals initially questioned by Mogadishu.

Will Ethiopia be given a Somali base? Unconfirmed suggestions that this was agreed by Pres. Farmajo, with a possibility of Merca discussed during the Ethiopia-Eritrea-Somali talks in Ethiopia 12 November. — Martin Plaut (@martinplaut) November 28, 2018

In June, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmaajo’ and PM Ahmed said they will be investing in major infrastructure projects including ports and roads.

The two said they will constitute a designated joint technical team to craft the details and timelines for the project.

The ports were not named in the dispatch but Ethiopia’s latest move could be seen as correcting the controversy it created earlier in the year by buying a stake in the Port of Berbera in Somaliland.

Ethiopia would own 19 per cent but that deal drew the ire of Mogadishu with MPs saying it had violated the Provisional Constitution as well as the sovereignty of Somalia.

Somalia demands that all deals made by breakaway regions of Puntland and Somaliland with foreign entities be endorsed by Mogadishu.