Sunday June 30, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - A Somali government delegation, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Maalam Faqi, left for Turkey on Sunday to participate in talks between Somalia and Ethiopia facilitated by the Turkish government.
In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Somali government is committed to protecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Turkey has expressed its readiness to mediate the diplomatic dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia. However, Somalia and Ethiopia have not provided further details about the meeting or its dates.
Recently, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to discuss the rising tensions between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu.
The tensions were sparked by an agreement signed in January between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia. As part of the agreement, Ethiopia agreed to formally recognize Somaliland in exchange for 20 kilometers of access to the Red Sea for Ethiopian naval forces, leased for 50 years.
Somalia has previously rejected any discussions with Ethiopia regarding Addis Ababa's agreement to lease a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland and has warned Addis Ababa against interfering in its internal affairs.