Somalia and Ethiopia Renew Diplomatic Ties After Turkey-Brokered Peace Deal
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Ethiopia on Saturday, weeks after a Turkey-mediated agreement ended a year-long rift between the neighbouring Horn of Africa nations over Addis Ababa’s plans to establish a military base in Somaliland.
Mr Mohamud travelled to Ethiopia after attending a summit on African agriculture in Uganda earlier the same day, his office said in a statement shared on social media platform X.
In Addis Ababa, he held talks with Ethiopian officials aimed at “strengthening bilateral relations and advancing shared priorities,” the statement said.
“This renewed cooperation highlights a new era of collaboration between Somalia and Ethiopia,” the Somali presidency noted, adding that the two countries had agreed to restore full diplomatic representation in each other’s capitals.
Relations between the two nations deteriorated in January 2024 after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia.
Under the agreement, Somaliland was to lease a stretch of coastline to Ethiopia for a naval base and commercial port, potentially in exchange for Ethiopian recognition of Somaliland’s independence.
Somalia accused Ethiopia of violating its territorial integrity, threatened to expel Ethiopian peacekeepers, and deepened ties with Ethiopia’s regional rivals Egypt and Eritrea.
Months of escalating tensions and unsuccessful international mediation followed, until both nations agreed in December during talks in Turkey to resolve the dispute and commence technical negotiations by February.
During Saturday’s meeting, Mr Mohamud and Ethiopian officials emphasised the need to address regional security challenges, particularly threats posed by extremist militant groups. Both sides pledged to enhance cooperation between their security agencies to bolster stability in the region.
The Somali presidency said the visit to Ethiopia marked a continuation of the December agreement reached in Ankara and reflected a commitment to implementing the peace roadmap.
Ethiopia had sent its defence minister to Mogadishu on January marking the first high-level visit since relations soured.
The move was seen as a precursor to the renewed diplomatic engagement formalised during Mr Mohamud’s visit to Addis Ababa.
ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org