THE diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia that had led to tense regional relations has been resolved, Somalia’s foreign minister says.
Ahmed Moalim Fiqi’s statement, carried by state TV, said Somalia had made no concessions. Ethiopia has not commented on the Somali claim, but said the two countries had agreed to “strengthen bilateral relations”.
The two neighbours had been at loggerheads since last January when landlocked Ethiopia signed a maritime deal with the breakaway Somaliland, which Somalia considers as part of its territory.
Friday’s statement follows a visit to Somalia by an Ethiopian delegation in the latest sign of détente after a Turkey-brokered deal announced last month.
Led by Ethiopian Defence Minister Aisha Mohammed, the visit focused on the future of the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Somalia.
Ethiopia has thousands of troops stationed in Somalia which are not part of the AU force and it has not been clear what role they will play in the future.
In its statement, Ethiopia said the two countries had agreed to collaborate on the mission.
A statement from Somalia’s foreign ministry was a little more equivocal saying the country had “expressed its willingness to consider Ethiopia’s request to contribute forces” to the mission.
Somalia had previously said it could expel Ethiopian troops over the Somaliland deal.
Throughout last year, tension was high after Ethiopia announced plans to build a naval base in Somaliland. The breakaway republic said the deal included a commitment for Ethiopia to officially recognise it as an independent country, but Addis Ababa never confirmed this.
At the time Somalia said it saw the deal as an act of “aggression” and an affront to its sovereignty.
Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia more than 30 years ago, has long been pushing for recognition.
Just weeks ago it would have been unthinkable for officials from Ethiopia’s defence ministry to be holding talks in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Relations between the neighbours were so bad, there were fears a wider regional feud was brewing – with Ethiopia on one side and Egypt backing the Mogadishu government.
But as a result of Turkey’s mediation, things have improved, with both countries agreeing to recognise each other’s sovereignty.
According to the Ankara joint declaration of 12 December 2024, the Horn of Africa neighbours are to reconvene in February to hold “technical talks”.
Until then, they are to strive to reach “mutually beneficial commercial arrangements” to ensure Ethiopia gains access to the sea “under Somalia’s sovereignty”.
It is not clear if Ethiopia has discarded the deal it signed with Somaliland.