Somalia and Ethiopia working on maritime agreement

Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – The Somali government has announced that the negotiations with Ethiopia based on the Ankara agreement are progressing well, with both countries currently working on how Ethiopia can obtain a commercial port located within Somalia.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ali Mohamed Omar (Ali Balcad) who gave an interview to the Straight Talk program on TRT World stated that the Ankara agreement established a framework for both sides to negotiate the issue of Ethiopia's maritime access, while respecting Somalia's sovereignty.

According to Ali Balcad, the Turkish-mediated agreement is based on two main points, which are the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries and the need for technical discussions regarding the establishment of a port for Ethiopia's commercial use.

The Deputy Minister noted that Somalia views Ethiopia as an important neighboring country, emphasizing that both nations have interconnected economic and security interests, which makes it essential to address the issues between the two sides through dialogue.

Regarding diplomatic relations, Ali Balcad mentioned that he will soon visit the city of Addis Ababa following the visit of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud there, which he described as a sign of the progress in the relationship between the two countries.

The Ankara agreement was signed on December 11, 2024, and it stipulates that Ethiopia can obtain a reliable commercial maritime route, based on the respect for Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Regardless, the Somali government continues the technical discussions related to the agreement as nearly two years have passed, with the aim of establishing a framework that allows Ethiopia to use a commercial port located in Somalia, without compromising the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.