Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met on Sunday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
This marks their second meeting in less than two months. This time, President Hassan Sheikh was in the country to attend the 38th African Union Heads of State Summit. From the video footage aired by state-owned media, it appears that they met in Abiy Ahmed’s office in Arat Kilo – not at the AU headquarters.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Abiy as saying, “Strengthening partnerships requires continuous engagement. On the sidelines of the second day of the 38th AU Summit, I had a productive discussion with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on key regional matters.” The specific nature of the regional matters they discussed remains unspecified.
Ethiopia and Somalia experienced a year-long deterioration in relations after Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland on January 1, 2024. Somalia viewed this as a violation of its sovereignty, although Somaliland has existed as an unrecognized independent state for over 34 years.
As part of its campaign to undermine Ethiopia’s security, Somalia signed a military pact with Egypt in August 2024. The agreement allows for the deployment of over 10,000 Egyptian troops in Somalia under a bilateral arrangement and as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission. Egypt has also been supplying arms to Somalia. Additionally, Somalia signed a tripartite agreement with Egypt and Eritrea, focusing on regional security.
Ethiopia and Somalia were on the brink of military conflict had it not been for Turkey’s intervention. Turkey successfully mediated between the two countries, leading to the signing of the Ankara Agreement in December 2024. The agreement aimed to diffuse tensions, build trust, and foster cooperation in various areas.
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