Arbaco 03 julay 2024 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has revealed that the Ethiopian government has sought Turkey’s mediation for talks between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Speaking in Mogadishu on Tuesday, President Mohamud clarified that Ethiopia and Somalia have not engaged in direct dialogue, with Turkey as the mediator. He added that there is no indication that Ethiopia intends to withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with Somaliland.
Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre has also emphasized that Ethiopia does not aim to invest in Somalia’s ports but to seize part of its land.
“Ethiopia intends to establish a military base on the Red Sea to take over the country. Our position is clear. We went to Kenya for talks and clarified that we would not negotiate on our sea. Now, we have gone to Turkey and reiterated that we are never ready for any dialogue that compromises our independence,” said the prime minister.
The two countries have agreed to continue Turkey-mediated talks to resolve their disagreements. Earlier this year, a controversial deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland brought the two countries to the brink of armed conflict.
According to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the second round of discussions will be held in Ankara on September 2.
The agreement signed on January 1 between Somaliland and Ethiopia would grant Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea in return for Somaliland’s recognition. Somalia, which does not recognize the de facto republic, has rejected the agreement as a violation of its sovereignty.
