Borkena
Toronto – Somalia’s President President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is Ethiopia for a working visit.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed greeted him on arrival at Bole International Airport on Sunday. The two leaders headed to the National Palace where they held a meeting.
Bilateral and regional issues were discussed, according to information from the office of the Prime MInister.
Abiy Ahmed wrote on his social media page, “Today, I met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.”
Villa Somalia disclosed that they discussed ” strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing developmental cooperation.” Details of the cooperation unspecified.
Hassen Sheikh Mohammed was in Ethiopia on September 9 this year to attend the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) – which has reportedly angered Egypt.
Throughout 2024, Somalia and Ethiopia had a very tense relation to the point that it appeared they were going to war. Somalia was harsh to the point that it declared the Ethiopian Ambassador in Mogadishu a persona non grata.
Türkiye’s intervention to mediate the two countries turned out to be successful as they signed the Ankara Declaration in December 2024 – to leave behind their dispute, improve their relations and cooperate.
It was the Memorandum of understanding that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland on January 1, 2024 that triggered the tension. Somalia saw it as a violation of its sovereignty as it still sees Somalia and its part despite the latter existing as a functioning democratic de facto state.
Ethiopia was to get a 20 kilometers of coastal land for commercial and military base in return to unspecified Ethiopian Airlines share and a possible unconfirmed “recognition” – Somaliland has been pursuing for more than three decades. Somalia forged a military, diplomatic and political alliance with Eritrea and Egypt.
Apart from Somaliland Ethiopia had fostered a working relations with Jubaland and Puntland for decades. Although these regions are still within Somalia’s Federal Jurisdictions, Mogadihu did have a very loose control over them.
Hassen Sheik Mohammed seems to be pursuing the goal to enhance Mogadishu’s power. As Villa Somalia disclosed, when he met with Abiy Ahmed today in Addis Ababa it was emphasized that the agreement to enhance bilateral relations is based on “good neighborliness, mutual respect, and shared prosperity, while upholding the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of both nations.”
It remains to be seen if this changes Ethiopia’s relation with Somaliland, Jubaland and Puntland.
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