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Relations between the two Horn of Africa nations deteriorated last year over a port deal between Addis Ababa and Somaliland
Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to restore diplomatic relations, a year after tensions erupted over a Red Sea access agreement.
The two East African neighbors announced their decision in a joint statement on X on Saturday, following Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s visit to Addis Ababa, where he held talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“The two leaders exchanged views on a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest and held constructive discussions on strengthening the fraternal relationship between the peoples of the two countries,” the statement said.
Relations between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu deteriorated early last year after Ethiopia struck a preliminary deal with Somalia’s breakaway region, Somaliland.
Somaliland agreed to lease its coastline to the landlocked state for commercial purposes and to build a naval base, reportedly in exchange for recognition of the breakaway territory’s independence. Somalia, which considers Somaliland its own territory despite the province declaring independence in 1991, denounced the January 1 pact as an illegal act of aggression.
In response, Mogadishu expelled Ethiopia’s ambassador, ordered the closure of two consulates, and recalled its representative in Addis Ababa. Somalia has also strengthened ties with Egypt and Eritrea, via a three-way cooperation agreement signed in October, aimed at improving their regional and maritime security amid their mutual distrust of Ethiopia.
However, following talks mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on December 11, the leaders of the conflicting countries agreed to find commercial arrangements to ensure that landlocked Ethiopia “enjoy reliable, secure and sustainable access to and from the sea, under the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”
They announced that technical negotiations would begin at the end of February.
During talks in Addis Ababa on Saturday, Somalia’s leader and his Ethiopian counterpart decided to “expedite the technical negotiations,” their offices stated.
The two Horn of Africa nations have also committed to restoring and enhancing their “bilateral relations through full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals.”
“Underscoring the serious and evolving threat posed by extremist militant groups in the region, the leaders agreed to instruct their respective security agencies to bolster cooperation in promoting peace and stability in the region,” they jointly declared.
