APA can report on Monday that Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Taye Atske-Selassie has left for Ankara, Turkey where the mediation talks would take place.
Turkey is believed to have established strong relationships with both east African nations over the years through extensive security cooperation.
APA also learned that Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiki Ahmed arrived in Ankara on Monday for the first round of talks over Ethiopia’s port deal with Somaliland.
The tension began after a memorandum of understanding was signed on January 1, 2024, allowing landlocked Ethiopia to establish a naval base on the breakaway Somaliland coast.
The government of Somalia earlier said the negotiations would only commence if Addis Ababa canceled its memorandum of understanding with Somaliland.
Somali authorities announced plans to grant Ethiopia access to the port of Hobyo in Galmudug state if Ethiopia retracts its agreement with Somaliland, though Addis Ababa has recently denied rumors circulating on social media that it intends to cancel the deal.
MG/APA