Ethiopia and Somalia's decision to enter technical talks over Ethiopia's maritime access to Somalia's ports will reduce the likelihood of military clashes between the two sides in the short term, and Turkey's ability to position itself as the main mediator in the dispute will bolster Ankara's influence in the Horn of Africa. On Dec. 12, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud issued a joint declaration to resolve their bilateral dispute regarding Ethiopia's maritime port deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland struck in January, following a third round of mediation talks hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The agreement reaffirmed both countries' respect for their mutual territorial integrity while acknowledging the ''potentially diverse benefits'' of Ethiopia securing access to the sea. Moreover, Ethiopia and Somalia agreed to work towards finalizing commercial agreements that enable Addis Ababa to secure ''reliable, secure and sustainable'' maritime access through...
