“The positions of the two countries on the concept of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are very far from each other,” Djibouti FM
The Foreign Minister of Djibouti, Mahmoud Ali Yusuf, ruled out the success of Turkish mediation in resolving the crisis between the states of Somalia and Ethiopia, over the latter’s leasing of a naval base on the Red Sea, in Somaliland, which the Mogadishu government rejects and considers “a violation of its sovereignty.”
On Monday, Ankara hosted a meeting between Turkish foreign ministers; Hakan Fidan, Somalia; Ahmed Moallem Faki, Ethiopia; Tai Atseki Selassie, in a second round of negotiations mediated by Turkey to end the disputes between the two neighboring countries in the Horn of Africa.
Minister Ali Youssef said, in exclusive statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, “In all honesty, the positions of the two countries on the concept of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity are very far from each other,” adding that “the solution lies in one of the two countries abandoning its position on these issues.”
Last January, Somaliland signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopia, according to which it granted the latter the right to use a 20-kilometre-long waterfront of Somaliland for a period of 50 years, through a “lease” agreement, which Mogadishu rejected.
The Somaliland is a former British protectorate. It declared its independence in 1991, but was not recognized by the international community.
The Djiboutian minister revealed that his country “proposed secret mediation to resolve the dispute,” but he refrained from revealing its details, saying: “I cannot reveal it so as not to expose it to failure.”
Youssef explained that Djibouti, in fact, has never stopped seeking to ease the tension between the two neighboring countries, Somalia and Ethiopia, pointing out that “in order to reduce the diplomatic escalation, Djibouti held an IGAD summit last February, and the President of Djibouti is in constant communication between the two leaderships.” The two neighboring countries.
He added: “The Turkish mediation came at the request of Ethiopia, after a Kenyan mediation that did not produce the desired results… What is important is that all diplomatic efforts work to achieve stability and security for the region, and these goals are what primarily concern Djibouti before any other consideration.”
On Tuesday, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Faki announced the completion of the second round of negotiations with Ethiopia in Turkey, without disclosing any agreement.
After he praised Turkey’s mediation efforts in a statement, via the X platform, he explained that it had been agreed to hold the third round of talks there.
According to Somali media sources, Ankara’s talks have reached a dead end, as Ethiopia adheres to implementing the memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, while Somalia insists that Ethiopia abandon the memorandum first, then negotiate with the Somali federal government in Mogadishu regarding access to the Red Sea.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, during a recent phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed that he welcomed Turkey’s efforts to enhance dialogue between Somalia and Ethiopia, but stressed the need for “any cooperation to be compatible with respect for Somalia’s sovereignty and national unity, in accordance with law and order.” “Internationalists.”
On the other hand, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took advantage of a phone call he made last Saturday with the Turkish President to stress the importance of providing Ethiopia, a country with a population of 120 million people, with “access to the sea through an approach agreed upon by both parties,” according to the agency. Official Ethiopian News, which also quoted Abiy as expressing his appreciation for Erdogan’s support in facilitating the solution of what it described as “the misunderstanding between Ethiopia and Somalia.”