Ethiopia, Somalia Begin Technical Talks on Ankara Declaration in Türkiye

Ethiopia and Somalia have begun technical negotiations on implementing the Ankara Declaration, with the first round of discussions taking place in Ankara, Türkiye…The negotiations follow a meeting between Ethiopia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gedion Timotheos, and Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Burhanettin Duran, on 6 February 2025…The declaration outlines a four-month timeframe for technical negotiations on Ethiopia’s sea access…The agreement came after tensions escalated in early 2024 when Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland to lease 20 kilometers of coastline in exchange for recognizing Somaliland’s independence—an agreement Somalia called an “infringement on Somalia’s territorial sovereignty.” Following the Ankara Declaration, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud traveled to Ethiopia on 11 January 2025, where he and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed to restore full diplomatic ties. (Addis Standard)