Somalia breaks silence on Turkish agreement amid Ethiopia relations strain
Ali Omar Balcad, Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, assured in an interview with Turkish news agency Anadolu that the recent defense and economic agreement with Turkey is unrelated to the ongoing crisis with Ethiopia.
Balcad emphasized that Turkey, having amicable relations with Addis Ababa, could potentially mediate between the two nations.
The minister clarified that the agreement primarily focuses on building a maritime security force, requiring substantial financial investment. He stated that the collaboration is mutually beneficial and emphasized Somalia’s need to safeguard its seas and marine resources, with Turkey’s assistance in constructing a navy.
Addressing territorial concerns, Balcad affirmed Somalia’s refusal to accept any attempt to partition its territory. He stressed the importance of maintaining peace between Somalia and Ethiopia, expressing Somalia’s stance against any territorial encroachment.
The strained relations between Somalia and Ethiopia escalated following Ethiopia’s agreement with the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland on leasing sea territory. Somalia remains steadfast in opposing any division of its land and insists that Ethiopia’s commercial access to the sea should be negotiated without territorial compromise.
Ethiopia has expressed its desire for maritime access without causing conflicts with Somalia. The diplomatic tensions persist, underscoring the need for international mediation to navigate the complexities between Somalia, Ethiopia, and Somaliland.
