Ethiopia and Somalia have commenced their second round of negotiations in Ankara, Turkey, in an effort to resolve tensions between the two nations regarding port access.
The discussions follow heightened diplomatic strain over Ethiopia’s recent agreement with the self-declared state of Somaliland.
Last Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, discussing the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between Turkey and Somalia, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to facilitating a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
The Turkish Communications Directorate posted on its X page that Erdoğan expressed optimism for the second round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia, which are being held in Ankara, and emphasized the need for concrete outcomes to ease the tension.
The directorate also noted that the leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues during their conversation.
Tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia have escalated since Ethiopia signed an agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, to secure access to a seaport.
In response, Turkey has actively worked to mediate between the two countries, hosting the first round of direct talks between the Ethiopian and Somali foreign ministers in June of this year.
During the initial negotiations in Ankara, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Taye Atsekeselasie and Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss potential solutions.
The talks aimed to address the concerns of both nations and find a mutually acceptable resolution.
In January, Ethiopia signed a 20-kilometer seaport agreement with Somaliland in Addis Ababa, further complicating relations with Somalia.
While Somalia has expressed willingness to offer Ethiopia access to one of its ports, it has stipulated that Ethiopia must replicate the terms of the seaport agreement it made with Somaliland.
However, Ethiopia has yet to publicly announce whether it will accept or reject Somalia’s proposal.
Adding to the complexity, Somalia recently signed a 10-year military agreement with Turkey, granting the Turkish Navy control over Somalia’s ports and coastal waters.
Somaliland, which considers itself independent of Somalia, has declared that the military agreement does not apply to its territory.
In a recent address to the House of Representatives, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused Somalia of seeking mediation from other countries instead of engaging directly with Ethiopia.
In response, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stated that Ethiopia has been unwilling to resolve the diplomatic tensions through direct dialogue.
During his opening speech at the National Council on Saturday, July 6, 2024, President Mohamud reiterated his government’s desire to ease the diplomatic strain with Ethiopia.
However, he expressed frustration over Ethiopia’s apparent reluctance to engage in meaningful negotiations.
