FAST DOWNLOAD
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Somalia and Ethiopia had reached an agreement to resolve their disagreement over the breakaway Somaliland area and Ethiopia’s desire for sea access.
This breakthrough came after negotiations between Ethiopian and Somali leaders in Ankara, Turkey.
During a joint news briefing, Erdogan thanked Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for their “historic reconciliation.”
He praised the agreement, believing it would be “the first step towards a new beginning based on peace and cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia,” eventually clearing the way for Ethiopia—the world’s most populous landlocked nation—to get access to the sea.
“I am confident that, with the meeting we had today, particularly concerning Ethiopia’s request for sea access, my brother Sheikh Mohamud will extend the necessary support for this initiative,” Erdogan told reporters.
“This joint declaration emphasizes the future rather than the past, outlining the principles that both of these friendly nations, which are very important to us, will now focus on,” Erdogan said in a social media update.
The two Horn of Africa countries have been at odds since January, when Ethiopia reached an agreement with Somaliland, a province that has declared independence but is not internationally recognised. The agreement entailed leasing a portion of Somaliland’s coastline to Ethiopia for a port and military facility in exchange for diplomatic recognition, although Addis Abeba never confirmed the pact.
Somalia decried the move as a violation of its sovereignty, resulting in diplomatic and military clashes that drew the attention of Ethiopia’s long-standing enemies, Egypt and Eritrea.
Somaliland, having seceded from Somalia more than three decades ago, remains unrecognized by the African Union or the United Nations. Somalia continues to regard Somaliland as part of its territory.
While Somaliland has established a stable political environment, Somalia has struggled with insecurity, particularly due to ongoing insurgencies from al-Shabab militants.
In their latest discussions in Ankara, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy and Somali President Mohamud joined Erdogan, following previous rounds of talks that had made little headway.
Turkey released a statement outlining the details of the deal, which include both countries moving past previous differences and focusing on collaboration for shared prosperity.
They also agreed to begin technical negotiations on commercial and bilateral issues to ensure Ethiopia’s “reliable, safe, and sustainable” access to the sea “under the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”
The technical discussions are to be concluded within four months, and any outstanding difficulties will be handled through negotiation, with Turkey giving assistance as needed.
Speaking on the reconciliation, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy remarked, “We have resolved the misunderstandings that arose over the last year. Ethiopia’s desire for secure access to the sea is a peaceful initiative that will benefit our neighbors, and it should be seen in the spirit
Somali President Mohamud, speaking through a translator, stated that the deal had “put an end to their differences,” and that Somalia was “ready to collaborate with the Ethiopian leadership and people.”
Turkey has been facilitating negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia since July, aiming to resolve long-standing concerns.
