Addis Abeba — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced plans to visit Ethiopia and Somalia in January or February 2025, following the signing of the Ankara Declaration between the two nations on 11 December, 2024, Anadolu news agency reported.
Speaking in Erzurum, eastern Turkey, Erdoğan explained that the agreement was reached after "a meeting that lasted seven hours." He stated: "Thanks to their cooperation, we signed the deal and finalized the job."
"We went to our press conference room and announced it to the world," he added. "I told them, 'God willing, I will visit Ethiopia and Somalia in the first two months of next year and announce this step to the world."'
The Ankara Declaration, signed in Ankara during a meeting between Erdogan, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, reaffirmed "respect and commitment to one another's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity," according to a joint statement.
The agreement recognized the "potentially diverse benefits" of Ethiopia gaining "assured access to and from the sea," while emphasizing respect for "the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia." It also stated that the leaders agreed "to forgo and leave behind differences and contentious issues."
Erdoğan noted his "special rapport" with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, which he said facilitated the discussions. He also highlighted Türkiye's support for both nations, stating: "We made investments [in Somalia]. Along with those investments, we also took steps against terrorist organizations in Somalia." He added that the Ankara Declaration provided Ethiopia with "all the support we could in the economy and defense."
The declaration outlines plans for technical negotiations on Ethiopia's sea access, set to begin by February 2025 and conclude within four months. Both countries agreed "to closely work together to finalize mutually advantageous commercial arrangements" under Somalia's sovereign authority.
It also acknowledged Ethiopia's military contributions in Somalia, stating: "Somalia acknowledges the sacrifices made by Ethiopian soldiers." Additionally, it expressed appreciation for Türkiye's role, saying: "We express our gratitude to Türkiye and President Erdogan for this initiative and their ongoing commitment to the process."
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Relations between Ethiopia and Somalia had deteriorated earlier in 2024 after Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of coastline in exchange for recognizing Somaliland's independence, a move Mogadishu called an "infringement on Somalia's territorial sovereignty."
The Ankara Declaration, welcomed by the African Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, aims to rebuild cooperation between Ethiopia and Somalia.
