East African bloc hails Türkiye-brokered Somalia-Ethiopia pact

A regional cooperation organisation in East Africa has praised a landmark agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia that ended nearly a year of tensions following talks in the Turkish capital.

Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his instrumental role in hosting and facilitating the discussions that produced the Ankara Declaration late on Wednesday.

“This significant accord marks a substantial step towards strengthening the long-standing social fabric between the two sisterly nations and demonstrates a commitment to resolving bilateral issues amicably," Gebeyehu said in a statement on Thursday.

Acknowledging Erdogan’s dedication to diplomacy and regional collaboration as a crucial factor in striking the deal, Gebeyehu emphasised the importance of “such diplomatic efforts in addressing shared challenges and fostering stability and prosperity in the Horn of Africa.”

Efforts to end tensions

The two East African countries have been at odds since Ethiopia struck a deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland on Jan. 1 to use its Red Sea port of Berbera. Türkiye has been working to end tensions between the two countries.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud held a news conference in the Turkish capital Ankara announcing the agreement reached during Türkiye-mediated peace talks.

In the joint declaration, the two African nations affirmed each other's sovereignty, unity and independence, committing to launch technical negotiations with Türkiye's facilitation by the end of February 2025 and conclude them within four months.

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.