Somalia Refuses Talks With Ethiopia Until Sovereignty Recognized

By Al Mayadeen English

18 Aug 2024 09:39

"We will not negotiate with Ethiopia on any issue until it recognizes our full sovereignty," Somalian President Sheikh Mohamud said after a round of negotiations between the two nations.

Somalia refuses to negotiate with Ethiopia until it recognizes it as an independent and sovereign state, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Saturday.

"We will not negotiate with Ethiopia on any issue until it recognizes our full sovereignty," Sheikh Mohamud said during a press conference, the SONNA news agency reported.

Sheikh Mohamud stressed that Addis Ababa's non-recognition of Somalian sovereignty led to the "recent breakdown of negotiations" in Ankara.

The leader's statements came amid the second round of negotiations between the two countries held in the Turkish capital on Monday and Tuesday.

The mediation was at the initiative of Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan, while the country's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reported that the third round will be held in Ankara on September 17.

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Earlier this year, Ethiopia signed a memorandum with the breakaway region of Somaliland, enabling Ethiopia to gain access to the Red Sea in exchange for recognition of Somaliland and the building of a naval base. However, the agreement was legally annulled by Sheikh Mohamud, and Somalia recalled its ambassador to Addis Ababa.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development urged Ethiopia and Somaliland to reduce tensions and resort to constructive negotiations during an emergency summit of northeast African countries that took place in Uganda, CGTN Africa reported.

The Republic of Somaliland was established in 1991. Although the federal government controls Mogadishu and other parts of the country, it does not exercise control over the region of Somaliland, which remains unrecognized by the international community and is considered as part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Kenya proposed a regional maritime treaty in April to resolve tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia.