Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is set to visit Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday, marking a crucial step in ongoing efforts to ease tensions in the Horn of Africa. The visit follows a recent peace agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia, brokered by Turkey, which aims to resolve deep-seated regional disputes.
Ethiopia’s landlocked status and its pursuit of sea access have historically strained relations with its neighbors. This tension reached a peak last year when Ethiopia signed a controversial deal with Somaliland, a self-declared independent region of Somalia. The agreement reportedly granted Ethiopia recognition of Somaliland’s independence in exchange for access to a port and a military base on the Red Sea, sparking outrage in Mogadishu.
The diplomatic fallout from this agreement was mitigated by last month’s peace deal, signed in Ankara. However, unresolved issues remain, including the implementation of Ethiopia’s sea-access ambitions and the fate of its agreement with Somaliland. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who mediated the peace talks, hinted that Ethiopia would gain some form of access to the Red Sea, but specifics remain unclear.
The Horn of Africa’s strategic Red Sea corridor has attracted global attention, with regional players vying for influence. Somalia, along with Egypt and Eritrea, has recently aligned against Ethiopia’s perceived expansionist ambitions. On Saturday, Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met with his Egyptian and Eritrean counterparts in Cairo. The ministers reiterated their stance that the Red Sea’s security should remain under the control of its coastal nations.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty issued a pointed statement: “It is absolutely unacceptable for any country not bordering the Red Sea to have a military or naval presence.”
This evolving alliance between Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia has also bolstered military cooperation. Egypt has joined the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which was recently launched to combat Somali Islamist insurgents.
Mohamud’s upcoming visit underscores a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy as Somalia and Ethiopia seek to reconcile differences and foster mutual cooperation in a region fraught with geopolitical challenges.
