Ethiopia’s defense minister, Aisha Mohammed Mussa, has made a high-level bilateral visit to Somalia since tensions between the two nations spiked a year ago.
Ali Omar, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, confirmed the visit.
Ethiopia maintains up to 10,000 troops in Somalia, deployed to combat the militant group al Shabaab.
However, relations between the two nations soured after Ethiopia reached a preliminary agreement with Somaliland in 2022.
The strain stemmed from Ethiopia’s proposal to establish a naval base in Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia.
The deal proposed leasing a portion of Somaliland’s coastline for an Ethiopian naval base and commercial port in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence.
Somaliland has operated autonomously since 1991, but no country has officially recognized its independence. Somalia considers Somaliland an integral part of its territory and viewed Ethiopia’s deal as an act of aggression.
In response, Mogadishu threatened to expel Ethiopian forces unless Addis Ababa abandoned the agreement.
Months of heightened tensions and inconclusive international mediation ensued.
Finally, on December 11, during talks in Turkey, Ethiopia and Somalia agreed to collaborate on resolving the dispute.
Both nations pledged to initiate technical negotiations by the end of February.
Ethiopian troops currently serve in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission and under bilateral arrangements.
Observers fear their withdrawal could significantly weaken the fight against al Shabaab, an al Qaeda affiliate waging an insurgency since 2007.
The dispute over Somaliland has also stirred broader concerns about instability in the Horn of Africa. In retaliation to Ethiopia’s deal with Somaliland, Somalia has strengthened ties with Ethiopia’s regional rivals, Egypt and Eritrea, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.
The strain stemmed from Ethiopia’s proposal to establish a naval base in Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia.
Reuters/Patience Ameh
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