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- Mogadishu and Addis Ababa have been at loggerheads over Somaliland region
ADDIS ABABA: The African Union has urged Ethiopia and Somalia to implement 鈥渨ithout delay鈥� an agreement aimed at ending tensions between the neighbors over Ethiopia鈥檚 access to the sea, calling the deal an 鈥渋mportant act.鈥�
The two countries have been at loggerheads since landlocked Ethiopia struck a deal in January with Somalia鈥檚 breakaway region Somaliland to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base.
In return, Somaliland 鈥� which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 in a move not recognized by Mogadishu 鈥� said Ethiopia would give it formal recognition, although this was never confirmed by Addis Ababa.
Somalia branded the deal a violation of its sovereignty, setting international alarm bells ringing over the risk of renewed conflict in the volatile region.
Following hours of Turkish-brokered talks, Ankara announced late Wednesday that an 鈥渉istoric鈥� agreement had been reached between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he believed the agreement would help Ethiopia gain its long-desired access to the sea. Technical talks are set for next year.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had flown into Ankara for the talks following two previous rounds that made little progress.
Speaking in the Turkish capital after the agreement, Mohamud said the neighbors had 鈥渕utual interests in cooperating together.鈥�
鈥淲e belong to a region where peace and stability is first priority for our people鈥檚 lives,鈥� he said.
African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat stressed the 鈥渋mportant act鈥� taken by the leaders to find a deal but emphasized the urgency to 鈥渋mplement, without delay, the relevant measures adopted.鈥�
He did not give any indication in the statement, posted on social media platform X, of what measures had been agreed.
East Africa鈥檚 regional bloc IGAD (the Intergovernmental Authority on Development) also welcomed the agreement as an 鈥渋mportant step.鈥�
It 鈥渄emonstrates a commitment to resolving bilateral
issues amicably,鈥� IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said.
According to the text of the accord published by Turkiye, the parties agreed 鈥渢o put aside differences of opinion and contentious issues, and to move resolutely forward in cooperation toward common prosperity.鈥�
They agreed to work closely together on commercial arrangements and bilateral agreements that would ensure Ethiopia鈥檚 鈥渞eliable, safe and sustainable access鈥� to the sea 鈥渦nder the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia.鈥�
To that end, it said they would start technical talks no later than the end of February which would be completed 鈥渨ithin four months,鈥� with any differences to be dealt with 鈥渢hrough dialogue, where necessary with Turkiye鈥檚 support.鈥�
Both top US diplomat Antony Blinken and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate statements, looked ahead to negotiations to finalize the accord.
Blinken said the agreement reaffirms 鈥渆ach country鈥檚 sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity.鈥�
Guterres thanked Erdogan for his role and looked forward to 鈥渁 positive outcome to the process,鈥� his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
There was no detail in the text published by Turkiye on how the agreement might impact the controversial memorandum of understanding between Somaliland and Ethiopia, which has never been made public.
Ethiopian authorities did not immediately respond to AFP鈥檚 requests for comment about the future of the agreement with Somaliland.
A source close to the Somaliland government said nothing had changed regarding the agreement with Ethiopia, noting: 鈥淎greeing to work together to resolve their dispute is not the same as walking away from the MOU.鈥�
While Abiy has repeatedly insisted that his country must have coastal access, he told parliament earlier this year that Ethiopia had 鈥渘o interest in getting involved in a war鈥� over access to the sea.
In response, Mogadishu has strengthened its ties with Egypt, Ethiopia鈥檚 longtime rival.
Somalia expelled Ethiopia鈥檚 ambassador in April and said Ethiopian troops would be excluded from a new African Union peacekeeping force against Islamist Al-Shabab insurgents that is due to be deployed on January 1.