MOGADISHU, Somalia — In a heartwarming twist, Somalia and Ethiopia have made a pact to patch things up. They’re bringing the band back together by reinstating full-on diplomatic representation in each other’s capitals. It’s not just talk; they’ve etched it down in a joint communiqué that made its grand debut on Thursday.
Now, if you were glued to last year’s soap opera of international relations, you’d recall that Somalia gave the boot to two Ethiopian diplomats, including the head honcho himself, Addis Ababa’s ambassador. You’d think that would’ve been the last straw, but wait, there’s more! As a cherry on top, Somalia decided to close Ethiopian consulates in both Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia, and Garowe, Northeastern State, despite a rather surprising twist where both offices carried on business as usual.
This feel-good handshake was part of a powwow during Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s jaunt to Ethiopia. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rolled out the red carpet, or so I’d like to imagine, complete with a confetti shower.
What did these two big shots gab about? Plenty, it seems. They chewed over strengthening those brotherly bonds, giving a nod to mutual trust, respect, and anything else you’d expect in a world leader’s goodie bag. It was all about improving security ties and dreaming up economic collaborations as though they were planning a community picnic.
The dynamic duo also put infrastructure on the discussing block, hoping to pave the road for trade and prosperity. They took a moment to dust off the Ankara Declaration, eager to fast-track those techie discussions it’s been banging on about.
This diplomatic move marks a giant leap forward in healing the rift between these East African neighbors and could turn the page on years of frosty relations. It’s like they’re finally realizing that a little give-and-take is the secret sauce in any good relationship.
AXADLETM
