Türkiye’s top diplomat to visit Ethiopia for mediation efforts with Somalia

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to visit Ethiopia over the weekend as part of Türkiye's ongoing mediation efforts between Ethiopia and Somalia, which have been at odds over Ethiopia's attempts to gain access to the Red Sea through Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia.

Fidan will meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Foreign Minister Atske Selassie on August 3, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The visit follows a July 1 meeting in Ankara, where Fidan successfully brought together the foreign ministers of Ethiopia and Somalia to initiate a diplomatic process aimed at resolving the tensions between the two neighboring countries.

The two sides have agreed to reconvene in Ankara on September 2 to further advance the talks. The dispute centers on Ethiopia's agreement with Somaliland, which grants Ethiopia access to the Red Sea and the use of a port, with Ethiopia promising to be the first country to recognize Somaliland's independence. Somalia has strongly opposed this move, which followed a security agreement with Türkiye for the protection of Somalia's maritime security. Ethiopia lost its access to the sea after Eritrea's de facto independence in 1991.

The international community has praised Türkiye's role in mediating the conflict. During his visit to Ethiopia, Fidan will discuss the progress of the mediation efforts and explore ways to further advance the dialogue between Ethiopia and Somalia at their next meeting in September. The talks will also cover other regional and international developments, as well as bilateral issues.

Additionally, the two countries aim to increase their trade volume to $1 billion over the next five years, with Türkiye ranking among the top four countries in terms of foreign direct investment in Ethiopia.