Turkey Mediates Landmark Agreement Between Ethiopia and Somalia

Turkey has brokered a deal between Ethiopia and Somalia to allow Ethiopia access to the Red Sea, while respecting Somalia’s sovereignty. This agreement nullifies a previous arrangement between Ethiopia and Somaliland. The situation has developed amidst ongoing regional tensions, positioning Turkey as a key diplomatic player.

Turkey has successfully mediated a significant agreement between Ethiopia and Somalia, allowing Ethiopia access to both the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. This development effectively resolves a year-long dispute that posed a threat of regional conflict. However, the newly established agreement supersedes a previous arrangement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, which had proposed providing Ethiopia a naval base in exchange for Somaliland’s recognition as an independent entity. The recent agreement, referred to as the “Ankara Declaration,” proposes an alternative route for Ethiopia to access the Red Sea without compromising Somalia’s sovereignty or legitimizing Somaliland’s breakaway status.

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has been navigating considerable instability, intensified by regional tensions stemming from conflicts such as those between Israel and Gaza. This volatile context heightened the significance of a deal Somaliland had previously offered to Ethiopia, which included access to the Red Sea in return for its recognition as an independent state. Despite the fact that this offer remains on the table, its relevance has diminished following the January 2024 memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Somaliland and Ethiopia, which Somalia contested by asserting it undermined its sovereignty. In a retaliatory move, Somalia expelled the Ethiopian ambassador and the personnel of Ethiopia’s African Union peacekeepers from its territory. Turkey’s intervention led to a new arrangement that simultaneously grants Ethiopia the desired access to the Red Sea while respecting Somalia’s territorial integrity. The implications of this agreement render the earlier deal between Somaliland and Ethiopia obsolete, despite any claims from Somaliland to the contrary.

The situation between Ethiopia and Somalia has been marked by disputes related to access to maritime routes and issues of sovereignty, particularly concerning the breakaway region of Somaliland. Somaliland’s claim to independence since 1991 has led to complex negotiations involving various stakeholders in the region. Ethiopia’s need for access to the sea has entangled it in negotiations with both Somalia and Somaliland. Turkey’s recent involvement illustrates its growing diplomatic role in regional conflicts, aiming to facilitate agreements that promote stability and cooperation among East African nations.

In conclusion, Turkey’s mediation has resulted in a pivotal agreement that grants Ethiopia access to the Red Sea without infringing upon Somalia’s sovereignty. This development effectively nullifies the prior arrangements between Ethiopia and Somaliland, highlighting the shifting dynamics in regional diplomacy. As the situation continues to evolve, the long-standing aspirations of Somaliland remain in question, particularly in light of their recent MOU with Ethiopia, which is now overshadowed by the new Turkish-mediated deal.

Original Source: oilprice.com