Historic Agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia Brokered by President Erdoğan, Agreement on Somaliland

Historic Agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia Brokered by President Erdoğan, Agreement on Somaliland

Somalia and Ethiopia have signed a joint declaration concerning the issue of Somaliland's secession and Ethiopia's need for a seaport, an agreement announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday night.

In a joint press conference in Ankara, Erdoğan described the agreement as a "historic reunification" and praised Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for their commitment to peace and cooperation.

Erdoğan stated in a social media post, "This joint declaration looks towards the future, not the past, and records the principles that will be established between these two friendly countries." He expressed hope that this agreement would "mark a new beginning based on peace and cooperation" and that Ethiopia, the world's most populous landlocked country, would be able to gain access to the sea.

The details of the agreement are yet to be fully disclosed. However, the dispute primarily involves Ethiopia's efforts to build a port in Somaliland and Somalia's opposition to Somaliland's independence. Somaliland declared independence in 1991, but it has not received international recognition. Ethiopia had previously indicated that if it recognized Somaliland's independence, it would gain strategic control over a region located near the convergence of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

This issue has affected the relationship between the two countries, with Somalia leaning towards Ethiopia's regional rivals, such as Egypt and Eritrea. Ethiopia, which has sent troops to Somalia to combat the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, considers sea access to be crucial for its economic and strategic interests.

Meanwhile, Erdoğan said, "I believe the agreement reached in today's meeting will serve as an important step for both Somalia and Ethiopia, and I hope President Mohamud will provide the necessary support to Ethiopia for gaining sea access."