Türkiye mediating Somalia-Ethiopia talks over Somaliland port deal

Türkiye has begun mediating talks between Somalia and Ethiopia over a port deal Addis Ababa signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year, Ankara said.

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that top diplomat Hakan Fidan had hosted both his Ethiopian and Somali counterparts in Ankara, adding the three had signed a joint statement following "candid, cordial and forward-looking" talks on their differences.

The Somali and Ethiopian ministers discussed ways to address their differences "within a mutually acceptable framework" and agreed to hold another round of talks in Ankara on September 2, the statement said.

"The Ministers of Somalia and Ethiopia reiterated their commitment to the peaceful resolution of differences," it added.

A spokesperson for Somaliland, which has struggled to gain international recognition despite governing itself and enjoying comparative peace and stability since declaring independence in 1991, said it was not involved in the talks.

Turkish efforts in Africa

Türkiye has become a close ally of the Somali government since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan first visited Mogadishu in 2011, training its security forces and supplying development assistance.

The two nations signed a defence pact in February under which Ankara will provide maritime security support to Somalia to help the African country defend its territorial waters.

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.

A Turkish diplomatic source said Ankara's mediation efforts began after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited Erdogan in Ankara in May and conveyed a letter asking Türkiye to mediate between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Feuds and disputes

Tensions between the two African countries have simmered since Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with the breakaway region of Somaliland in January, which Somalia denounced as infringing upon its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The memorandum was to allow landlocked Ethiopia access to the sea through Somaliland, and in return, Ethiopia would recognise Somaliland as an independent country.

The two countries share a history of disputes and feuds, fighting two wars in the 20th century.

Somaliland was a British colony until 1960. It enjoyed five days of independence before voluntarily uniting with Somalia.

Ethiopia, on the other hand, was cut off from the coast after Eritrea seceded and declared independence in 1993 following a three-decade war.