ANKARA, Türkiye (HOL) — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Ethiopia on Saturday to discuss critical issues with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Foreign Minister Taye Atske Selassie, amid rising tensions with Somalia over access to the Red Sea.
Fidan's visit spotlights Türkiye's mediation role between Ethiopia and Somalia following Ethiopia's controversial port deal with Somaliland. The deal, signed in January, allows Ethiopia access to the sea through Somaliland in exchange for recognizing Somaliland's independence. Somalia has rejected the agreement, viewing it as a violation of its sovereignty.
According to diplomatic sources, Fidan's discussions will focus on bilateral relations, the Ethiopia-Somalia
reconciliation process, and broader regional issues. Ethiopian leaders, including Special Envoy Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, sought Türkiye's support in resolving the conflict during meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May. This led to a
joint statement in Ankara on July 1, where Ethiopian and Somali officials expressed their willingness to resolve disputes peacefully. A
second round of talks is scheduled for September 2 in Ankara.
Despite Türkiye's public support for Somalia's territorial integrity, it maintains close ties with Ethiopia. In 2021, Ethiopia purchased over a dozen
drones from Türkiye that it used against TPLF forces in Northern Ethiopia.
Türkiye-Ethiopia
diplomatic relations date back to 1896 and play a significant role in Türkiye's Africa Partnership Policy. The Turkish Embassy in Addis Ababa was established in 1926, and the Ethiopian Embassy in Ankara opened in 1933. Although the Ethiopian Embassy closed in 1984, it reopened in 2006, and relations have flourished since.
Trade between the two countries has grown substantially, from approximately $27 million in 2000 to around $345 million in 2023, with ambitions to reach $1 billion in the next five years. Türkiye is among the top four countries in direct foreign investments in Ethiopia, evidenced by strong participation in the Türkiye-Ethiopia Business Forum held in Istanbul in May 2024.
Türkiye's influence is more visible in Somalia through extensive involvement in education, energy, finance, and security. Since President Erdoğan visited Mogadishu in 2011, Türkiye has become a vital ally, providing development assistance and training Somali security forces. A defence pact signed in February 2024 further solidifies this partnership, with Turkish naval forces
set to arrive in Somalia soon to train Somali naval personnel and enhance maritime security.
The January 2024 Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU
complicates the regional dynamics further. Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but remains internationally recognized as part of Somalia. Ethiopia's agreement with Somaliland grants it port access in exchange for potentially recognizing Somaliland's independence, a move Somalia vehemently rejects.