Kenya proposes maritime treaty to diffuse Ethiopia-Somalia tensions

NAIROBI - Kenya has proposed to diffuse tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia over an Ethiopian deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland that would give it port access and enable it to set up a naval base, a top Kenyan official told Reuters.

The proposal involves the negotiation of a regional maritime resources treaty that will govern how states in the region can access ports on commercial terms, said Korir Sing'oei, the head of Kenya's state department for foreign affairs.

Korir was speaking after Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a meeting with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

"We continue to engage with all the parties to ensure that at the end of the day, the region is left all stable," he said.