Ethiopian PM Arrives in Somalia for First Visit After Red Sea Access Rift Ends

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed landed in Somalia for the first time in as many months, signalling the end of the rift between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, triggered by the controversial agreement over the access to the Red Sea, signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland.

Aboard Ethiopian Airlines, PM Abiy Ahmed landed at Aden Abdulle International Airport shortly after a mortar shelling targeted the heavily fortified facility, an indication of the fragility facing the Horn of Africa nation.

Tight security was in place at the airport, where he was welcomed by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Roads leading to the airport and the presidential palace have been closed for security reasons, officials said.

In Mogadishu, Abiy Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud are set to discuss the trade partnerships and diplomatic ties between the two countries, after months of the standoff, the state media reports.

"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud received Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed upon his arrival in Mogadishu. Their meeting will focus on enhancing security cooperation, boosting trade partnerships, and deepening diplomatic ties," read the statement by the state media.

"The visit underscores both nations’ commitment to regional stability and economic collaboration," added the state media, shortly after the PM arrived in the country.

Somalia, meanwhile, is part of a newly formed alliance led by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi with Egypt and Eritrea, Ethiopia's longtime rivals. The Tripartite agreement signed by the three nations caused ripples in Addis Ababa.

The conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia was solved in Turkey, with the two countries agreeing to form technical committees that would help in getting a long-term solution for Ethiopia's quest for access to tea, without infringement of Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Before Thursday's trip, Ethiopia's Chief of the Defence Forces General Burham Jula visited the country, leading to approval of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) participation in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

GAROWE ONLINE