Somalia and Ethiopia will send their top diplomats to Ankara next week to discuss disagreements over a port deal Addis Ababa signed with the Republic of Somaliland earlier this year, according to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday.
Türkiye is now mediating talks between the East African neighbors, whose ties became strained in January when Ethiopia agreed to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of coastline from Somaliland, in exchange for recognition of its independence.
The agreement grants Ethiopia a 50-year lease on a naval base with access to Somaliland’s Berbera port. It was signed on January 1 in Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most populous countries with 120 million people, but its economy has been restricted by a lack of access to the sea. It was cut off from the Gulf of Aden after a three-decade-long war that saw Eritrea secede in 1993, taking all of the country’s former coastline with it.
In April, Somalia announced the expulsion of Ethiopia’s ambassador from the country. It also shut down Ethiopia’s consulates in Hargeisa, the largest city and capital of Somaliland. Instead, Ethiopia Upgraded its consulate in Hargeisa to the Embassy and was appointed a full ambassador.
In return for the deal, Ethiopia said it would provide an “in-depth assessment” of Somaliland’s quest for official recognition as an independent nation, marking the first time any other country has offered to do this.
Mogadishu called the agreement illegal and retaliated by expelling the Ethiopian ambassador and threatening to kick out thousands of Ethiopian troops stationed in the country helping battle Islamist insurgents.
Somali and Ethiopian foreign ministers met in Ankara last month along with Fidan to discuss their disagreements and agreed to hold another round of talks.
At a news conference in Istanbul, Fidan said a second round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia will take place in Ankara next week.
Fidan’s announcement came a week after he visited Addis Ababa and met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“We discussed these issues with Prime Minister Abiy in detail,” Fidan said.
Tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia would come to an end with Ethiopia’s access to the seas through Somalia as long as Ethiopia’s recognition of Somalia’s territorial integrity and political sovereignty is secured.
Turkey has become a close ally of the Somali government in recent years. Ankara has built schools, hospitals, and infrastructure and provided scholarships for Somalis to study in Türkiye.
In 2017, Türkiye opened its biggest overseas military base in Mogadishu. Earlier this year, Türkiye and Somalia signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement.
Ankara is also set to send navy support to Somali waters after the two countries agreed Ankara will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia to prospect for oil and gas.
