Somalia and Ethiopia reestablish bilateral relations after their diplomatic disputes

MADRID Jan 12 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the prime minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, have agreed to restore diplomatic relations between both countries after the tension generated by an agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a separatist region of Somalia, by which the Ethiopians received access to the sea in exchange for recognizing the existence of Somaliland.

“(The two leaders) agreed to restore and improve their bilateral relations through full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals,” the Somali Government detailed in a joint statement with the Ethiopian authorities.

The reestablishment of diplomatic ties between both countries takes place after the positive inertia generated with the reconciliation agreement reached under Turkish mediation in the middle of last month.

Both leaders have highlighted that regional stability depends on strong cooperation based on mutual trust and respect, and have reaffirmed their commitment to this peace agreement mediated by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the visit of the president of Somalia to Ethiopia, the leaders also discussed security cooperation against extremist groups and the intensification of trade and investment, with emphasis on improving infrastructure to facilitate economic exchange between both countries.

Relations between Somalia and Ethiopia deteriorated in recent years following Addis Ababa’s agreement with Somaliland to obtain naval and commercial access for a period of 50 years in exchange for Addis Ababa recognizing its independence.

Ethiopia lost direct access to the sea in 1993, when Eritrea gained independence after three decades of conflict. Its main trade route now runs along roads and a railway linking Addis Ababa to a port in Djibouti, one of five coastal neighbors that include Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Kenya.