In a significant development aimed at improving diplomatic relations, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is scheduled to visit Ethiopia on Saturday. This marks the strongest indication yet of a thaw in the long-standing tensions between the two neighboring nations. The diplomatic visit follows a year of strained relations, largely sparked by Ethiopia’s controversial plans to build a naval base in the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland.
According to a statement from Somalia’s office, President Mohamud will travel to Ethiopia directly from Uganda, where he attended an African agriculture summit earlier on Saturday. During his visit to Ethiopia, President Mohamud will engage in high-level discussions with Ethiopian leadership, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations and advancing shared priorities. The statement emphasized that the visit signifies a “new era of collaboration” between Somalia and Ethiopia, reflecting a shift in the diplomatic dynamics of the region.
The strained relationship between the two nations reached a peak in January last year when Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland. The agreement stipulated that Ethiopia would lease a stretch of Somaliland’s coastline to establish a naval base and commercial port, which would grant Ethiopia strategic access to the region’s waterways. In exchange, Ethiopia would consider recognizing Somaliland’s independence, a move that Somalia vehemently opposed, seeing it as a direct challenge to its territorial integrity.
In response to the MoU, Somalia accused Ethiopia of undermining its sovereignty and escalated its rhetoric by threatening to eject Ethiopian peacekeepers stationed in the country. In the wake of these tensions, Somalia has sought to strengthen ties with Ethiopia’s regional adversaries, Egypt and Eritrea, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.
Despite the diplomatic impasse, both Somalia and Ethiopia agreed to begin negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute during talks held in Turkey on December 11. As part of this agreement, the two countries committed to technical discussions by the end of February.
The upcoming visit by President Mohamud to Addis Ababa is seen as a crucial step in following up on the agreement reached in Turkey and is expected to be pivotal in de-escalating tensions between the two countries. In early January, Ethiopia had also sent its defense minister to Mogadishu, marking the first official visit since the diplomatic rift deepened.
The visit is being closely watched by regional and international observers, as it could signal a new chapter in the relationship between Somalia and Ethiopia, two influential Horn of Africa nations with shared interests in regional stability and security.
Sources By Agencies
