Ethiopia-Somalia: Intelligence chiefs meet amid thaw in ties

Ethiopian intelligence chief Redwan Hussien met with his Somali counterpart Abdullahi Mohamed Ali on Tuesday to advance security cooperation and reinforce commitments outlined in the Ankara Declaration, a pact between the two countries reached through Türkiye's mediation earlier this month.

Announcing the meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on X, Hussien highlighted that the discussions focused on mutual security challenges and emphasized unity against detractors trying to derail progress.

“As a follow-up to the Ankara Declaration, we both vowed to move forward and keep detractors from near and afar who are bent on derailment at bay,” Hussein said.

The meeting coincided with the arrival of a Somali delegation led by Ali Omar, the minister of state for foreign affairs and international cooperation, also aimed at reinforcing commitments under the Ankara Declaration.

Turning point

Signed on December 12, the Ankara Declaration brokered by Türkiye marked a turning point in relations between the Horn of Africa neighbors, which have recently been strained by tensions.

In January, Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland – a breakaway Somali region – to use the Red Sea port of Berbera reignited discord. Türkiye played a key mediating role in resolving the dispute.

In a joint statement, Somali and Ethiopian leaders emphasized that the Ankara Declaration “reaffirmed their respect and commitment to one another’s sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity.”

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