The third round of the Ethiopia-Somalia talks, initially scheduled for Tuesday, 17 September 2024, in Ankara, Turkey, has been postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the United Nations General Assembly, according to diplomatic sources.
This development comes amid rising tensions between the two nations, which were initially sparked by Ethiopia’s memorandum of understanding with Somaliland in January.
Two senior Somali officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization, confirmed the postponement to Voice of America (VOA).
One official told VOA that “the talks were postponed because of preparations for and travel related to the UN General Assembly.”
The second official stated that the time available to prepare for the talks was “too short.”
While a new date for the talks has not been set, it is expected that they will resume after the conclusion of the UN General Assembly, according to VOA.
The delay also occurs because both parties have failed to present alternative proposals regarding the issues at hand.
Türkiye has been facilitating dialogue between the two countries, with two previous rounds of talks held in Ankara in July and August under Turkish mediation. However, these discussions failed to produce any significant breakthrough in the ongoing dispute.
The postponement comes amid heightened regional tensions, following reports of Egypt sending military officers and heavy equipment to Somalia. Media reports have suggested this could involve up to 10,000 Egyptian soldiers.
In response, the Ethiopian government has issued a warning, stating that the transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to a new peace support mission is “fraught with dangers” for the region.
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the country “cannot stand idle while other actors are taking measures to destabilize the region.”
The situation has also sparked internal debates within Somalia.
Some Somali MPs from the South West State have voiced opposition to the deal between Somalia and Egypt, cautioning about potential regional instability.
Adding to the complexity, Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, recently stated during a Universal TV debate on September 12 that “the option to have contacts with armed rebels in Ethiopia, or rebels fighting against the Ethiopian regime, remains open to Somalia.” However, he clarified that this option had not yet been pursued.
But Ethiopia dismissed the sentiments as ‘attributes’ of Al-Shabaab, adding that those ‘threatening us cannot even expand their governance outside the Banadir region’.
