Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived Ankara, heading a top delegation for talks on Ethiopia dispute to be meditated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The discussions aim to ease rising tensions with Ethiopia over its contentious agreement with Somaliland.
Somalia has set a firm precondition for any further negotiations: Ethiopia must annul its agreement with Somaliland and formally recognize Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity before engaging in direct talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
These talks come at a critical moment, as Somalia perceives Ethiopia’s actions as a direct challenge to its national unity and stability.
President Mohamud’s delegation, which includes Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, intelligence chief Mahad Mohamed Salad, former Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled, and Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, reflects Mogadishu’s unwavering commitment to defending its sovereignty and advancing its national interests.
The dispute follows Ethiopia’s plans to build a port in Somaliland, a region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained international recognition. Somaliland has maintained relative peace and stability while governing itself, but Somalia remains firmly opposed to its independence.
Ethiopia, a landlocked country with troops stationed in Somalia to combat al-Shabab militants, has indicated willingness to recognize Somaliland’s independence in exchange for a strategic strip of land near the Red Sea and Indian Ocean intersection.
The tensions have strained relations between the two nations, with Somalia drawing closer to Ethiopia’s regional adversaries, including Egypt and Eritrea.
Both have longstanding disputes with Addis Ababa, including over Ethiopia’s construction of a massive hydroelectric dam on the Nile River.
Turkey, which has strong ties to both Ethiopia and Somalia, has sought to mediate the dispute. Ankara provides development assistance to Somalia and trains its security forces, bolstering its influence along a key global shipping route. Turkey has previously hosted two rounds of negotiations between the East African neighbours.
