Ethiopia and Somalia have taken a crucial step toward resolving their dispute by holding the first round of technical talks in Turkey.
The negotiations, mediated by Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, aim to ease tensions triggered by Ethiopia’s agreement with Somalia’s breakaway region, Somaliland.
The deal, signed last year, allows Ethiopia to lease land along Somaliland’s coastline to establish a marine force base in exchange for formal recognition of Somaliland’s independence.
Somalia strongly opposes the agreement, arguing that it violates its sovereignty and threatens regional stability in the already volatile Horn of Africa.
In December, Ethiopian and Somali leaders met in Turkey and agreed to launch technical negotiations to balance Somalia’s territorial integrity with Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions.
On Tuesday, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos and Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar led delegations in Ankara for the first round of talks.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry emphasized that both sides showed dedication to the principles of the Ankara Declaration, signed in December as a framework for dialogue.
“The delegations began the concrete work to transform this vision into reality,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stated, underlining the progress made during the discussions.
The next round of talks is scheduled for March, where both nations will continue efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution.
Turkey, a key player in the region, maintains strong diplomatic and economic ties with Somalia and hosts its largest overseas military base in the country.
Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia over 30 years ago, remains unrecognized by the African Union and the United Nations.
Ethiopia, home to over 120 million people, remains the world’s most populous landlocked country, seeking strategic access to the sea.
