Somalia President jets off to Turkey for meeting with Ethiopia's PM Abiy Ahmed

MOGADISHU, Somalia - President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud left the country for Turkey this evening ahead of mediation talks with Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a meeting organised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media confirmed shortly after his departure.

Hassan Sheikh is attending the talks for the first time after two initial attempts by delegations from both countries failed to materialise, leading to the current impasse. Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try to broker a peace deal between the two countries.

"President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has departed for Ankara at the official invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan," state media reported just minutes after sources within the presidency confirmed to Garowe Online.

"The third round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia, mediated by Turkey, will resume," the statement read.

Although it was not immediately clear if they would first have a face-to-face meeting, insiders said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shall first meet them separately — to set grounds for negotiations before the three do actual talks.

Some sources revealed that Ethiopia requested the meeting and "Hassan Sheikh Mohamud actually consented to it". Turkey is hopeful that the two neighbours will strike a deal to end animosity between them.

The Ankara talks which are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, will be the first between the two leaders since the start of the tension over the controversial sea access MoU that Ethiopia reached with the Somali breakaway region - Somaliland on January 1 this year.

Under the agreement, Ethiopia would get access to 20 kilometres of the Red Sea in exchange for recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state — a move further angered Somalia, leading to its hard stance, accusing Ethiopia of violation of international laws and sovereignty principles.

Initially, Somalia insisted any mediation talks ought to be preceded by withdrawal of the agreement — but clearly, the talks would still take place with the agreement in place amid changes of leadership in Somaliland.

To further punish Ethiopia, Somalia has ruled out its participation in the newly crafted peacekeeping mission dubbed African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) — which Mogadishu want Egypt to firmly stay in charge, a technical relegation of Ethiopia.

But in defiance, Ethiopia says it shall continue investing in Somalia’s peacekeeping process including commitment to the fight against Al-Shabaab. The country has signed an MoU with Kenya to help keep Al-Shabaab at bay within its borders.

The meeting comes just days after Somalia, for the third time, accused Ethiopia of arming militia in the country, with the latest contest being in Jubaland. However, authorities in Jubaland have dismissed allegations that Ethiopian troops are mobilising to fight alongside regional forces following the conflict between Kismayo and Mogadishu.

GAROWE ONLINE