Somali, Ethiopian Officials Hold “Indirect” Talks in Turkey

GOOBJOOG NEWS | ANKARA: Somali and Ethiopian officials are engaged in indirect talks in Ankara, Turkey aimed at ending the ongoing diplomatic tiff between the two countries over the Somaliland portal deal.

The diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia has been simmering since Addis Ababa entered a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland at the beginning of this year, which would grant Ethiopia access to Somalia’s coastal waters.

However, according to sources, diplomats from the two sides did not engage in face-to-face meetings but instead, Turkey has been playing the intermediary role between the two countries.

On Monday, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan separately met his counterparts from Somalia, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, and Ethiopia’s Taye Atske Selassie, the sources added.

Turkey is seeking to find a middle ground over the controversial memorandum of understanding (MoU) in which Somaliland would lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of land along its coastline to Ethiopia to establish a marine force base.

In return, Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland’s independence.

Somalia denounced the MOU with the breakaway region as infringing upon its sovereignty and territorial integrity and is demanding that Ethiopia withdraws the deal, but Ethiopia is also pressing for “modalities to access the sea”.

Ahead of the talks, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to the leaders of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, to urge reconciliation.