A delegation of Somali officials has departed Mogadishu for Türkiye, where a second round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia is due to take place.
The talks are part of efforts to resolve a dispute between the two East African neighbours over a port deal Addis Ababa signed with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland, which angered Mogadishu.
‘’A delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ahmed Moallim Fiqi Ahmed left for the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Saturday,’’ Somalia's ministry of foreign affairs confirmed in a statement.
‘’The delegation representing the Somali Government, has received an official invitation from the Turkish Government, and will participate in the second round of talks with Ethiopia, which is hosted by the Turkish Government,’’ it added.
Ahead of schedule
The discussions are due to start in Ankara on Monday, three weeks ahead of the initial schedule.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had also announced on Friday that the negotiations would resume.
The announcement came a week after he visited Addis Ababa and met Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
On Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also discussed bilateral relations, regional tensions, and global developments with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in a phone call.
The two leaders discussed key areas of cooperation between Türkiye and Ethiopia, applauding the growing strength of ties between the two nations, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said on Friday in a statement on X.
Access to sea
During the call, Erdogan highlighted Türkiye's ongoing efforts to mediate the tension between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Türkiye formally started mediation efforts to resolve Ethiopia-Somalia differences last month with the first round of talks in Ankara, where Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the foreign ministers of the two countries.
The tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia stemmed from a port access deal Addis Ababa signed in January with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.
The deal was to grant landlocked Ethiopia access to the sea through Somaliland, and in return, it would recognise Somaliland as an independent country, a move Somalia strongly rejected.
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