US Welcomes Ethiopia-Somalia Agreement On Resolving Differences

2024-12-12 03:05:00

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (KUNA) -- The United States welcomed Thursday agreement reached by Ethiopia and Somalia in Ankara late Wednesday on respecting each country's territorial integrity and advancing cooperation on shared interests.
"We look forward to technical negotiations to permit Ethiopia to enjoy reliable, secure, and sustainable access to the sea for mutual economic benefit while respecting Somalia's territorial integrity," the US Department of State said in a press statement.
It commended the leadership of Turkiye in facilitating this agreement.
It added that the ongoing dialogue and engagement are essential for a stable and prosperous future for Ethiopia and Somalia.
"We encourage Ethiopia and Somalia to intensify their cooperation on mutual security interests, particularly the fight against al-Shabaab, and look forward to continuing our close bilateral cooperation with both nations," it concluded.
The agreement was announced late Wednesday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint news conference with his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
According to the agreement, both sides agreed on holding technical negotiations, facilitated by Turkey, by the end of February 2025 and to work out a mutually-beneficial agreement within four months that recognizes the potential benefit that can be gained from Ethiopia's safe access to the sea while respecting the territorial integrity of Somalia.
The Turkish leader said the agreed-upon joint statement by Somalia and Ethiopia will establish a solid foundation for cooperation and prosperity based on mutual respect.
He added that Turkiye, Somalia and Ethiopia will plan future steps together and implement projects to boost regional peace and prosperity.
Ties between Ethiopia and Somalia have worsened since Ethiopia struck a deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland on January 1 to use its Red Sea port of Berbera. (end)
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