Somali president makes surprise visit to Ethiopia amid strained relations

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in the Ethiopian capital on Saturday, exactly one month to the day since the two countries' leaders reached an agreement to end a bitter, year-long conflict.

Mohamud was received by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at Addis Ababa airport.

The Somali president's office earlier issued a statement confirming Mohamud's visit to Addis Ababa at the invitation of the Ethiopian leader. Discussions with Ethiopian leaders aim to strengthen bilateral relations and advance common priorities, the statement said.

Ethiopia and Somalia reached a diplomatic agreement on December 11, called the Ankara Declaration, following a heated diplomatic row sparked over a controversial maritime access deal between Ethiopia and the Somali region Somaliland separatist.

Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding on January 1, 2024 with Somaliland allowing it to lease 20 kilometers of waterfront for 50 years in exchange for diplomatic recognition, Somaliland officials said.

The Somali government rejected the agreement, calling it “null and void” and accused Ethiopia of a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Under the Ankara Declaration, negotiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their mutual respect and commitment to sovereignty, unity, independence and the territorial integrity of each person.

Furthermore, the two sides also agreed to work together to finalize “mutually beneficial commercial arrangements through bilateral agreements, including contracts, leases and similar modalities, which will enable the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to benefit from reliable, secure and sustainable access to and from the sea, under the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

On the streets of Addis Ababa, photos of the Somali leader were displayed on electronic billboards on main streets, according to a VOA reporter in Addis Ababa.

“Welcome to President Sheikh Mahmoud,” was written under one of the photos. The flags of Somalia and Ethiopia were flying.

The roads leading from Bole Airport to the palace were guarded by the Ethiopian Federal Police.

Somalia said Mohamud's visit, which is the first since he was allegedly blocked from entering the African Union headquarters in February 2024 by Ethiopian security forces, builds on the agreement to Ankara.

In April, Somalia expelled Ethiopian Ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware, alleging “internal interference” by Ethiopia.

In October, Somalia declared an adviser working at the Ethiopian embassy in Mogadishu persona non grata and ordered him to leave.

Somalia also ordered the closure of Ethiopian consulates in Hargeisa, Somaliland; and Garowe, Puntland, although both remained open.

In a joint statement issued on Saturday evening, the two leaders said they agreed to restore and strengthen their bilateral relations through full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals.

The leaders reaffirmed that stability in the region requires strong cooperation between the two countries, based on mutual trust and respect, the statement said.

Before his trip to Addis Ababa, Mohamud traveled to Kampala, Uganda, for a continental summit on agricultural development, where he met with President Yoweri Museveni and Kenyan President William Ruto, two leaders who at one time given, attempted to mediate between Somalia and Ethiopia before the agreement. The Ankara Declaration emerged.

The President's diplomatic engagement is part of a broader regional tour, which includes recent productive visits to Eritrea and Djibouti, the Villa Somalia statement said.

Commenting on the meeting with Mohamud, Ruto said relations between the two countries had gradually deepened since Somalia joined the East African Community regional economic bloc last year.

Our two countries are doing more business than before, with Somalia purchasing goods worth KSh5 billion [$38 million] during the first nine months of 2024, he posted.

On peace and security, Kenya, and indeed the region, will continue to engage in collaborative efforts to ensure stability in Somalia, Ruto said.