In a significant diplomatic move, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Ankara on Friday for a high-level meeting centered on strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing regional cooperation, with a key focus on counterterrorism efforts.
The closed-door discussions at the Presidential Complex come at a critical time for the Horn of Africa, as diplomatic tensions flare between Somalia and Ethiopia over a controversial port agreement involving the breakaway region of Somaliland.
The source of the dispute is a deal signed in January 2024 between Ethiopia and Somaliland, under which Ethiopia would gain access to a 20-kilometre stretch of coastline in exchange for support toward Somaliland’s bid for international recognition. The Somali government, which considers Somaliland an integral part of its territory, has vehemently rejected the agreement, denouncing it as a violation of its sovereignty and a potential trigger for regional instability.
Since February, Turkey has been brokering talks to defuse tensions and seek a peaceful resolution. However, mediation efforts have so far yielded no breakthrough, and no future rounds of negotiations have been confirmed.
The Ankara summit also follows recent developments where Somali officials launched a global diplomatic push to block the port deal, including appeals to the United Nations. Ethiopia, landlocked and dependent on neighboring ports for trade, has defended the agreement as vital for its economic security. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently doubled down on Ethiopia’s stance, calling sea access a strategic necessity—remarks that Somalia has labeled a “land grab.”
As international attention intensifies, Egypt has also stepped into the fray. Earlier this week, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with President Mohamud and pledged enhanced military cooperation and support for maritime security in the Red Sea, signaling Cairo’s alignment with Somalia in the geopolitical standoff.
Friday’s meeting in Ankara underscores Turkey’s role as a key diplomatic actor in the region, though a resolution to the growing dispute remains elusive.
