Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed are set to meet in Ankara, Turkey, to discuss tensions stemming from a maritime agreement with Somaliland, which Somalia deems illegal. This meeting follows unsuccessful past attempts to resolve the dispute and comes as Somali expects Ethiopian troops to withdraw from its territory.
The Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed are scheduled to hold talks in Ankara, Turkey, as confirmed by Somali officials. Sources close to the presidency stated that the meeting was requested by Ethiopia and was readily accepted by President Mohamud. The discussions are set to occur following a maritime agreement that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland, a breakaway region that Somalia considers part of its territory, raising tensions in the Horn of Africa.
The meeting marks the leaders’ first interactions since Ethiopia formalized a deal with Somaliland, which permits Ethiopian access to a 20-kilometer segment of the Red Sea coastline in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty. Somalia has labeled this agreement as illegal, asserting it undermines its territorial rights and integrity, while Ethiopia claims it does not violate Somalia’s sovereignty.
In light of the growing tensions, the Somali government has emphasized that they expect all Ethiopian troops to exit Somalia by the end of the month, coinciding with the expiry of the mandate for an African Union Transition Mission. Previous attempts at dialogue, mediated by Turkey, have fallen short, with Somalia demanding the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from the agreement.
Significant diplomatic efforts have been made to converge the two leaders, including interventions from the presidents of Djibouti and Mauritania, as well as former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, all efforts have been unsuccessful thus far.
Moreover, an earlier opportunity for a meeting during a forum on China-Africa cooperation in Beijing was declined by President Mohamud, stating that any meeting was contingent on Ethiopia’s withdrawal from its agreement with Somaliland. Amid these developments, the Kenyan government also attempted to facilitate dialogue between the two nations, yet this also proved fruitless.
The talks between the Somali President and the Ethiopian Prime Minister arise from an escalating dispute triggered by a maritime agreement Ethiopia entered into with Somaliland, a self-proclaimed independent region since 1991. This agreement has been a contentious point, with Somalia vehemently opposing it, viewing it as an infringement on its sovereignty. The geopolitical context is further complicated by the anticipated withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia, as the African Union’s mandate concludes, raising concerns of potential conflict in the Horn of Africa.
In summary, the impending meeting between President Mohamud and Prime Minister Abiy is a significant diplomatic effort in light of ongoing tensions over the maritime agreement with Somaliland. The situation has the potential to shape future relations between Ethiopia and Somalia, particularly in regards to issues of sovereignty and territorial claims. With previous mediation attempts yielding no resolutions, international attention remains focused on the outcome of the forthcoming talks in Turkey.
Original Source: www.voanews.com
