from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopia Bureau
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – POTENTIAL political conflict has been averted when warring rivals Ethiopia and Somalia smoked the peace pipe over weekend.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud committed their countries to peace, stability, sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
The announcement followed a series of meetings between Somali Minister of Defense Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and his visiting Ethiopian counterpart Aisha Mohammed in which they agreed to bury the hatchet, and focus mainly on economic cooperation, peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.
The two ministers of defence also agreed to work together to finalize arrangements that would grant Ethiopia access to and from the sea.
In a joint statement: “(Ethiopia and Somalia) agreed to collaborate on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and strengthen bilateral relations.”
The two neighbouring countries also agreed to exchange visits aimed at ensuring what had been agreed upon were implemented for the benefit of the two countries.
Tensions had been escalating between the two East African nations after they signed an agreement earlier in 2024, allowing Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in exchange for its recognition of Somaliland, a region of Somalia, as an independent state.
Leaders of Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement in December 2024 after Turkish-mediated negotiations in Ankara, a development that resulted in the tussle resolved amicably.
It is not for the first time that these two countries quarrelled as their disputes emanated from territorial and political disputes between Ethiopia, Somalia, and insurgents in the area.
Originating in the 1300s, the present conflict stems from the Ethiopian Empire’s expansions into the Somali-inhabited Ogaden region during the late 19th century.
– CAJ News