Somalia and Ethiopia have announced plans to begin technical negotiations by February next year to resolve tensions surrounding Ethiopia’s proposal to develop a port in Somaliland, the self-declared breakaway region of Somalia. Both nations have committed to concluding these talks within four months.
The conflict originated in January when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proposed securing access to a port in Somaliland.
In return, Ethiopia would offer Somaliland a stake in its state-owned Ethiopian Airlines and recognize its independence.
Somalia, which does not recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state, strongly opposed the plan, citing violations of its territorial integrity.
The dispute has since been addressed through diplomatic efforts led by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Following mediated discussions, the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia have agreed to collaborate on commercial solutions that would grant Ethiopia, a landlocked nation, “reliable, secure, and sustainable access to and from the sea.”
Despite this cooperation, Somalia remains firm in its stance against Somaliland’s international recognition. Since Somaliland declared independence in 1991, it has governed itself with relative peace and stability, though Somalia continues to claim the region as part of its territory.
Somali authorities have also warned of penalties against companies that recognize Somaliland as an independent state.
In a joint statement issued Wednesday, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed readiness to work with Ethiopia, while Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Turkey’s role in resolving the dispute.
Turkey has played a pivotal role in Somalia, providing development assistance and training its security forces, while maintaining strong ties with Ethiopia.
The situation has also influenced regional dynamics. Somalia has drawn closer to Egypt, which is embroiled in its own dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River. Additionally, Somalia has strengthened relations with Eritrea, another longtime adversary of Ethiopia.
As technical negotiations approach, the outcome of this regional conflict will have significant implications for Ethiopia’s access to maritime trade and Somalia’s territorial sovereignty.
