Türkiye Mediates Talks Between Somalia and Ethiopia Over Somaliland Port Deal

Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Türkiye has initiated mediation efforts between Somalia and Ethiopia concerning a port agreement that Addis Ababa signed with Somaliland earlier this year, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

During a meeting in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted his Ethiopian and Somali counterparts for discussions. The talks concluded with the signing of a joint statement, which described the dialogue as “candid, cordial, and forward-looking.”

The primary focus of the discussions was to find ways to address the differences between Somalia and Ethiopia “within a mutually acceptable framework.” The ministers agreed to hold another round of talks in Ankara on September 2.

“The Ministers of Somalia and Ethiopia reiterated their commitment to the peaceful resolution of differences,” the statement read.

However, a spokesperson for Somaliland, which has been self-governing and relatively stable since declaring independence in 1991 but has yet to gain international recognition, noted that Somaliland was not involved in these talks.