Turkey steps in to mediate Somalia and Ethiopia’s sea access conflict
ANKARA, Turkey – The Turkish government has proposed a roundtable discussion between Ethiopia and Somalia, aiming to resolve their current spat over sea access, an issue that has ruffled feathers in Mogadishu given Addis Ababa’s actions.
Well-placed insiders say Turkey has volunteered to moderate the talks to prevent further conflict that has unsettled the Horn of Africa. Initially, Somalia had rebuffed any attempts at reconciliation.
In a sharply-worded declaration, Somalia demanded Ethiopia nullify its agreement with North Western of Somalia prior to any mediation. They accused Ethiopia, a landlocked country, of infringing on their sovereignty to gain sea access via North Western of Somalia, a self-declared independent region in the north.
This contentious memorandum of understanding, signed on January 1, 2024, has become the crux of the diplomatic tussle. Reports state Ethiopia agreed to acknowledge North Western of Somalia’s independence in exchange for 20 kilometers of Red Sea coastline.
Upon realization, Ethiopia intended to establish a military base and port on that stretch, a proposal strongly refuted by Somalia. Mogadishu sought Ankara and Cairo’s intervention.
Prior to mediation rumors, Somalia inked a defense coalition with Turkey, which entails stationing military tanks along the Indian Ocean, akin to Egypt’s pledge to support Somalia against potential threats.
While historically utilizing Djibouti and Lamu ports for sea transit, Ethiopia, along with Hargeisa, insists on moving forward with the controversial deal despite Mogadishu’s objections.
AXADLETM
