Somalia says Ankara Declaration now guides its relations with Ethiopia
The Somali government has announced that the Ankara Declaration is now the guiding agreement for its relations with Ethiopia. Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar, said the agreement reached in Ankara in December 2024 established a new framework for managing ties between the two countries, including Ethiopia’s access to the sea.
Ali Balcad said the Ankara Declaration emphasizes respect for the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of both nations. He added that any agreement regarding Ethiopia’s maritime access must come through official dialogue and mutual consent, without compromising Somalia’s sovereignty.
The Ankara agreement followed Ethiopia’s January 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, which Somalia strongly opposed. Since then, Somalia and Ethiopia have engaged in technical talks to implement the Ankara Declaration, improving their relations after tensions over the Ethiopia-Somaliland deal.
