How Turkey’s Erdogan Is Bridging Somalia-Ethiopia Rift On Somaliland

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has brokered himself as a mediator between Somalia and Ethiopia amidst rising tensions over the contested Somaliland region. On December 11, Erdogan separately met Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to address the ongoing dispute and find a diplomatic resolution.

These high-level meetings held in Ankara reflect Turkey’s increasing stature in the Horn of Africa and its efforts at regional stability. The details of the discussions are unknown, but the meetings reveal a commitment by Turkey to dialogue and peace between the two East African nations.

Diplomatic Engagement By Erdogan

In a series of updates posted to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. While the details of the talks remain confidential, the talks continue to be an expression of Turkey’s interest in facilitating rapprochement between the two East African states.

Ethiopia’s Office of the Prime Minister confirmed that the bilateral session between Abiy and Erdogan was done with delegations from both countries. Somalia’s national broadcaster, SNTV, reported that Mohamud and Erdogan discussed how to strengthen bilateral relations, laying down groundwork for a third round of Turkey-mediated talks between Somalia and Ethiopia.

Somaliland Dispute: Roots Of The Rift

The underlying problem behind the conflict is Somaliland’s quest for independence. The region declared its independence from Somalia in 1991 but has never received international recognition, though the region has been relatively peaceful and stable. Somalia has always been against Somaliland’s secession while Ethiopia’s stance on the matter has made it complicated.

The landlocked country of Ethiopia, having an interest in the stability of the Horn of Africa, has shown openness to recognition of Somaliland independence under specific conditions. This landlocked nation, with troops stationed in Somalia in the fight against al-Shabab militants, is interested in securing a strategic port in Somaliland, an area that forms the crossroads between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, making it an important geopolitical asset.

In return, Ethiopia is looking for territorial concessions that will enhance its regional influence, particularly in maritime affairs. The possibility of recognition of Somaliland’s independence has worsened relations between Somalia and Ethiopia, compelling Somalia to intensify its relationship with regional rivals of Ethiopia, including Egypt and Eritrea. Both these countries have long-standing grievances with Ethiopia, especially concerning the highly contentious construction of a gargantuan hydroelectric dam on the Nile River.

Turkey’s Role As Mediator

Turkey is an important regional actor that enjoys good diplomatic relations with both Somalia and Ethiopia. In fact, Turkey has played a key role in the efforts to try to mediate the conflict. For years, Ankara has been actively involved in Somalia in terms of providing development assistance, humanitarian aid, and military training. In short, Turkey’s influence in the region has greatly expanded, particularly in major shipping lanes.

The engagement of Turkey has always played a pivotal role as a mediator in past rounds of negotiations. Turkey previously has hosted two rounds of negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia. This engagement depicts a particular interest of Turkey to stabilize the region. Tensions had recently grown enough that the scheduled third round, which was initially supposed to take place in September, was put off. Current talks between Erdogan and Abiy with Mohamud have been observed to breathe life into dialogue to come to a peaceful end in this conflict.

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