Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said his country would “defend itself” if Ethiopia goes ahead with a deal to set up a naval base in the breakaway region of Somaliland and possibly recognise the territory as an independent state. Landlocked Ethiopia agreed a memorandum of understanding on January 1 to lease 20 km (12 miles) of coastline in Somaliland – a territory that Somalia says it owns, even though the northern region has enjoyed effective autonomy since 1991. Ethiopia said it wants to set up a naval base there and offered possible recognition of Somaliland in exchange – prompting a …