Neighbors and rivals Ethiopia-Somalia are sitting at a negotiating table to defuse tensions.
Both sides are resuming talks on disagreements over a port deal Ethiopia signed with Somaliland.
In January, a deal was signed granting Ethiopia a 50-year lease on a naval base with access to Somaliland’s Berbera port, in return for Ethiopia becoming the first country to recognize Somaliland officially.
As the world’s most populous landlocked nation, Ethiopia’s agreement sparked outrage from Somalia, which labeled it illegal and an infringement on its sovereignty. Somalia responded by expelling Ethiopia’s ambassador and closing its consulates, further straining relations between the two countries, which have fought two wars in the past century.
Turkey, a close ally of Somalia, has attempted to mediate by hosting talks between Somali and Ethiopian foreign ministers, with the latest round following a visit by Turkey’s foreign minister to Addis Ababa for discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
These talks aim to facilitate Ethiopia’s access to international waters via Somalia while respecting Somalia’s territorial sovereignty.
In recent years, Turkey has strengthened ties with the Somali government by constructing schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, as well as providing scholarships. In 2017, Turkey opened its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu and earlier this year signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement with Somalia.
Meanwhile, Somaliland officials have voiced their concerns regarding the Somalia-Ethiopia discussions.
To further explore the situation in the Horn of Africa, we are joined by Advocate Sipho Mantula, an international affairs expert and researcher at TM African School of Public and International Affairs, live from Johannesburg, South Africa.
How could the rift in the Horn of Africa end?
Watch for more.
