Somalia and Ethiopia on Wednesday thanked Türkiye for its efforts to end a bitter dispute that has lasted almost a year between the two East African countries.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a news conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara to announce an agreement reached during Türkiye-mediated peace talks.
"In one sense, this is an ending because it brings an end to our dispute," Mohamud said.
Ties between Ethiopia and Somalia had worsened since Ethiopia struck a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland on Jan. 1 to use its Red Sea port of Berbera.
Türkiye has been working to end tensions between the two countries.
Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991.
In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.
Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade.
Ethiopia made an accord in January with Somaliland that unilaterally broke away from Somalia. Ethiopia gained access to the sea but recognized the territory's independence, setting off a new crisis with its neighbor. The two countries, which have fought two wars in the past century, agreed in March to resolve their quarrel.
In Ankara, Erdoğan announced the sides had agreed on a joint declaration and that a process had been launched for a fresh start between the two countries.
According to the Ethiopia-Somalia Ankara Declaration, the two parties decided to launch technical negotiations facilitated by Türkiye by the end of February 2025 and conclude them within four months. They also agreed to abandon differences of opinion and contentious issues and to move decisively toward shared prosperity.
The two countries affirmed respect for Somalia's territorial integrity while recognizing potential benefits Ethiopia may gain from secure access to the sea.
Mohamud highlighted both nations' shared interests: "We are grateful for Türkiye's efforts. Somalia will be a true friend of Ethiopia, now and in the years to come."
"This relationship must benefit our people. Peace and stability in our region are the top priorities for us and our people," he added.
He emphasized the shared opportunities for progress that align with the interests of both countries, adding that Somalia is ready to work with Ethiopia's leadership and its people on this matter.
Mohamud also acknowledged the sacrifices and losses of Ethiopian forces in Somalia and reminded everyone that previous African Union missions also faced losses.
"This actually demonstrates how interconnected our peoples are and will continue to show this connection. Moreover, Ethiopia and Somalia share many commonalities," he said.
"Our differences are limited, while our common ground is vast. We will strive and do everything in our power to ensure peace for our people in a peaceful manner. Our region needs our cooperation."
Ethiopian leader Ahmed thanked Erdoğan, his government and the people of Türkiye for their efforts in establishing peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.
"These efforts brought us to today's meeting at the leaders' level, where we addressed misunderstandings that have built up over the years," he said.
Pointing to Ethiopia and Somalia's long history, Ahmed said: "We are not just neighboring countries. We are brothers. We share a blood bond, and our destinies are intertwined."
He underlined the sacrifice of thousands of Ethiopian soldiers who lost their lives securing Somalia's safety and fighting terrorism.
Ahmed expressed appreciation for all the efforts to facilitate dialogue while noting that "ours was, of course, a family dialogue that could have been conducted without third-party intervention."
"Over the past six years, Ethiopia has reaffirmed its commitment to regional integration through concrete, tangible actions, not just words," he said.
He said the Ethiopian government suffers significantly from instability in the Horn of Africa region, adding that Ethiopia and Somalia share common ground on peace and growth and the need for mutual development.
The Ankara Declaration signed between Somalia and Ethiopia is an essential manifestation of Türkiye's credible position in the eyes of the African people and states, Türkiye's communications director said late Wednesday.
The declaration is one of the finest examples of Türkiye's peace diplomacy under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Fahrettin Altun said on X.
"Our multidimensional and peaceful diplomatic efforts and mediation efforts across many regions make significant contributions to global peace," he said.
The leadership diplomacy carried out by Erdoğan has been and will continue to be "appreciated" by the entire world for its contributions to sustainable peace on both regional and global levels, Altun said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan too on Thursday called the settlement of the dispute with Türkiye’s mediation as a “strong manifestation of Türkiye’s diplomacy mentality that produces fair and sustainable solutions”.
“We have heeded the sensitivities, priorities and expectations during the entire process,” Fidan wrote on X.
“This joint declaration, which focuses on not the past but the future, outlines the principles the two countries will build their cooperation on,” he said and thanked Somalia and Ethiopia for their trust and constructive approach to Türkiye’s mediation.
Türkiye will maintain its support for the process to advance and the cooperation between the sides to strengthen, Fidan assured.
"We hope that this agreement reached through Türkiye's mediation between Somalia and Ethiopia will bring peace, tranquility and stability to not just these two friendly nations but the entire region, the continent and the world."
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said on X that the Ankara Declaration was a proud moment for Türkiye and humanity.
"There are no winners in a conflict and no losers in a just peace. I hope this serves as a model for beneficially resolving other international issues," he said.
