Ethiopia and Somalia Commit to Revitalize and Strengthen Diplomatic Relations Following Recent Strains
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Addis Ababa, Jan 13 (NationPress) Ethiopia and Somalia have reached a consensus to revitalize and strengthen their bilateral relations, which marks a crucial advancement in alleviating recent diplomatic strains between the two nations in the Horn of Africa.
This agreement was established during a meeting in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is visiting Ethiopia for work, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The two leaders engaged in productive discussions regarding both regional and bilateral challenges, with the objective of deepening the fraternal ties between their nations, as stated in a joint communique released on Saturday evening.
They agreed to "revitalize and strengthen" their bilateral ties by ensuring full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals. Additionally, they emphasized the necessity for closer collaboration between their diplomatic missions on multilateral and regional issues of common interest, as noted in the communique.
The leaders highlighted that the stability of the region hinges on robust cooperation between the two nations, founded on mutual trust, confidence, and respect. They committed to enhancing coordination aimed at improving regional relationships and achieving shared understanding and progress.
Furthermore, they underscored the importance of bolstering security cooperation, particularly in combating the threats posed by extremist militant groups in the region. They agreed to instruct their security agencies to deepen collaboration in promoting peace and stability, as indicated.
Reaffirming their dedication to the Ankara Declaration, the leaders committed to hastening the technical negotiations detailed in the agreement.
The visit by the Somali president to Ethiopia came after Turkish-mediated discussions in Ankara last month, which played a vital role in resolving misunderstandings and de-escalating the diplomatic tensions that had affected relations throughout 2024.
The diplomatic discord had intensified between the neighboring countries after reports surfaced that Ethiopia and Somaliland signed an agreement earlier in 2024, granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in exchange for recognizing Somaliland, a self-proclaimed region of Somalia, as an independent state. Somalia has declared this agreement to be legally void.
As part of the efforts to normalize relations, Ethiopia's Defence Minister Aisha Mohammed led a high-level delegation to Somalia earlier this month, reaffirming both nations' commitment to reinforcing their bilateral relations.
