Ankara, Turkey — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Ankara Monday night, leading a high-level delegation for the third round of talks mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to address escalating tensions with Ethiopia over a contentious agreement with Somaliland.
Somalia has laid down a clear condition for further negotiations: Ethiopia must retract its deal with Somaliland and acknowledge Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity prior to any direct dialogue with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
This diplomatic push arrives at a critical juncture, with Somalia viewing Ethiopia’s move as an infringement on its national unity.
President Mohamud’s delegation, comprising Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, intelligence chief Mahad Mohamed Salad, former Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled, and Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, underscores Mogadishu’s determination to safeguard its national interests.
