By Emmanuel Onyango
Fresh talks being brokered by Türkiye signal rapprochement between Ethiopia and Somalia following months of diplomatic stalemate over a controversial port deal Ethiopia signed with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.
Ethiopia and Somaliland had announced January 1 that they had signed a memorandum of understanding that would grant Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in return for recognition of Somaliland as an independent nation.
Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world. It lost its access to the sea when Eritrea seceded in 1993.
Ethiopia has been using the port in neighbouring Djibouti for most of its imports and exports. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has insisted that having access to the sea was of high importance.
Finding common ground
Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory, denounced the deal as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It accuses Ethiopia of ambitions to annex part of Somalia, which Addis Ababa denies.
The African Union, regional neighbours and world powers backed calls for Somalia’s territorial integrity to be respected. They urged the leadership of both countries to resolve the dispute through dialogue.
Attempts to deescalate the tension between the two East African neighbours have since been largely unsuccessful.
In the latest move to end the impasse, Türkiye has stepped in, playing the role of a facilitator of talks between the two sides.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted both his Ethiopian and Somali counterparts in Ankara on Monday and discussed ways to address their differences "within a mutually acceptable framework."
It was an unprecedented move since the dispute erupted.
“Our commitment to peace, diplomacy and goodwill drives us to establish dialogue and find common ground where possible,” Fidan told journalists in Ankara in the presence of the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Somalia after their talks.
‘Natural facilitator’
The Somali government had previously said that it would only enter into talks on the port deal after Ethiopia denounces its deal with Somaliland and offers a public apology.
Türkiye’s long-standing ties with both sides are considered crucial to achieving any breakthrough in the talks.
The sides have agreed to meet in Ankara in September for a second round of discussions.
Analysts in the Horn of Africa region have hailed Türkiye’s diplomatic initiative.
“I think we should welcome and commend the governments of Ethiopia and Somalia for their spirit of cooperation in addressing their diplomatic tensions,” said Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, a former spokesperson for the executive director of the regional bloc IGAD.
“Credit to the government of Türkiye for their constructive contributions for facilitating this essential dialogue,” he told TRT Afrika.
The pathway to restoring diplomatic ties between the Horn of Africa neighbours remains unclear now, but there is confidence in Ankara's mediation efforts.
“Türkiye has excellent relations with both the governments and with (Ethiopian Prime Minister) Abiy and President Hassan (of Somalia),’’ said Mohamud.
For this reason, he described Türkiye as ‘’naturally a trusted facilitator.
Strategic partnerships
“I believe the fact that the ministers of foreign affairs of Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to meet again in September is an expression of intent to resolve the situation,’’ he added.
Somalia’s strategic location is considered to have significant importance due to its access to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Last month it won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Türkiye is one of Somalia's biggest partners since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan first visited Mogadishu in 2011. It has been training Somalia’s security forces and supplying development assistance.
Türkiye and Somalia's defence ministers signed a 10-year cooperation agreement in February to enhance bilateral relations and the region's stability.
Türkiye has built schools, hospitals and infrastructure and provided scholarships for Somalis to study in Türkiye, and in return, secured a foothold in Africa and on a key global shipping route.
‘We remain hopeful’
Ethiopia is also one of African countries that have strong economic and diplomatic ties with Türkiye.
Analysts believe that resolving the tension between Somalia and Ethiopia is crucial for the stability and development of East Africa and beyond, given the already existing numerous security and economic challenges in the region.
Some experts say resolving the tension between the two countries is a difficult task.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also acknowledged ‘’the complicated nature of the many dynamics at play.’’
However, he sounded optimistic. The first round of talks had ‘’allowed both parties to express their sensitivities in detail and enabled all sides to get a better understanding,’’ Fidan said.
‘’We remain hopeful for the future,’’ he added.
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