Turkish president discusses Ethiopia tensions with Somali counterpart

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke over the phone on Sunday with his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, discussing tensions between the African country and its neighbor Ethiopia.

Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia, Erdoğan said Ankara would continue its efforts to resolve tensions between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, the Turkish Communications Directorate said on X.

He also said concrete results toward easing tensions are expected from an upcoming second round of Somalia-Ethiopia talks to be held in Türkiye's capital Ankara on Monday.

The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global developments, the directorate added.

This came after another phone call between Erdoğan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali earlier on Saturday, during which reconciliation was also on the agenda.

Ties between Ethiopia and Somalia have worsened since Ethiopia struck a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland on Jan. 1.

Türkiye has been working to ease tensions between the two countries. 

An initial round of direct talks between the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Somalia had taken place in Ankara in early July.

Türkiye to host Ethiopia-Somalia talks

Delegations from Ethiopia and Somalia will meet in Türkiye on Monday as part of efforts, dubbed the Ankara Process, to ease tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations.

Following a visit to Ethiopia by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and subsequent contacts with the Somali side, the two delegations will be coming together in the capital Ankara for a second round of talks on Aug. 12, instead of the previously agreed-upon Sept. 2.

According to diplomatic sources, the sides will attempt to reach a compromise by taking into account the needs and concerns of Somalia and Ethiopia.

Fidan was in Ethiopia in early August and held talks with Selassie and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.

Ethiopia had signed an agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region in the north of Somalia, to have access to the Red Sea and use a port there, and promised to become the first country to recognize the self-acclaimed country. Somalia has fiercely reacted to this development and signed a security agreement with Türkiye for the protection of its sea security.

Ethiopia had lost its access to sea following Eritrea’s de facto independence in 1991.

Türkiye’s efforts aim to de-escalate tension between the two countries through an agreement that would ensure Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty while pledging Ethiopia to have access to the Red Sea.

At a press conference last week, Fidan underlined the importance of Ethiopia and Somalia for Türkiye as two valuable friends and allies, saying, “The escalation in their ties due to unresolved differences and diplomatic problems do not benefit any of us.”