The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reached Mogadishu today to embark on an official visit aimed at deepening ties between Ethiopia and Somalia. He came to Aden Adde International Airport during ongoing regional discussions on security and bilateral diplomatic cooperation.
An Important Visit
The visit follows a recent joint security agreement signed between Somalia and Ethiopia whereby the chief military officers meet to discuss cooperation with each other’s intelligence structures. The agreement continued the Ankara pact mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and signed between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Turkey.
To End the Diplomatic Row
The agreement, which set the stage, put paid to the tensions that followed the controversial agreement that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland. Such an agreement would have granted Ethiopia a military base and direct access to the sea-something Somaliland couldn’t boast of before Ethiopia. The deal resulted in a diplomatic crisis between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, which led to extended talk time.
Prospects of the Talks
During this visit, Abiy Ahmed will hold talks with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and some key government officials. The deal agenda is likely to include:
✔️ Security cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia
✔️ Regional stability and counterterrorism measures
✔️ Diplomatic and trade relations
✔️ The fate of Ethiopia’s ambition for the sea
This has marked a significant step in the diplomatic wind of narrowing tensions and building a stronger partnership between Ethiopia and Somalia. The outcome of the discussions could bear a lot of implications in relation to the balance of power in the Horn.