Somalia says the Ankara Declaration now governs its relationship with Ethiopia, shifting attention away from the disputed 2024 Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement and toward negotiations over Addis Ababa's access to the sea.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (Somali Report) — Somalia said Sunday that the Ankara Declaration now serves as the guiding framework for its relationship with Ethiopia, playing down questions over whether Addis Ababa's controversial 2024 agreement with Somaliland remains legally valid.
The comments by Somali State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar, also known as Ali Balcad, offer one of Mogadishu's clearest indications yet of its position on the memorandum of understanding Ethiopia signed with the self-declared republic of Somaliland in January 2024.
The agreement triggered one of the worst diplomatic crises between Somalia and Ethiopia in recent years after Addis Ababa sought access to the Red Sea through a deal with Somaliland, a territory Mogadishu considers an integral part of Somalia.
Speaking to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Balcad said the Ankara Declaration signed by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in December 2024 had established a new framework for managing relations between the neighbouring countries, including Ethiopia's search for sea access.
"I do not see a need to spend much time debating whether the previous agreement was suspended or is dead," Balcad said, referring to the disputed Ethiopia-Somaliland memorandum.
Instead, he said, the focus should be on the commitments made under the Ankara agreement.
The December 11, 2024 declaration, brokered by Turkey after months of escalating tensions, reaffirmed the principles of sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity between Somalia and Ethiopia.
Under the framework, Ethiopia's desire for reliable commercial access to the sea can be addressed through agreements negotiated directly between the two governments and under Somalia's sovereign authority.
The arrangement marked a significant departure from the January 2024 memorandum, which Ethiopia concluded directly with Somaliland without the involvement of Somalia's federal government.
Mogadishu condemned that agreement as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Somaliland has maintained that it has the right to enter into international agreements independently.
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The dispute severely strained ties between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa before Turkey stepped in to mediate.
The Ankara Declaration recognised Ethiopia's need for dependable access to the sea while making clear that any future arrangement must respect Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It opened the way for discussions on commercial agreements, leases and other mechanisms that could provide landlocked Ethiopia with maritime access, provided such arrangements are concluded with the Somali federal government.
Somalia and Ethiopia began technical talks in February 2025 aimed at implementing the Ankara framework, with Turkey facilitating the negotiations.
Balcad led the Somali delegation, while Ethiopia was represented by a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos.
The discussions focused on finding a mutually acceptable mechanism for Ethiopia to obtain commercial access to the sea without compromising Somalia's sovereignty.
Relations between the two countries have improved considerably since the Ankara agreement.
Abiy visited Mogadishu in February 2025, where the two governments reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and supporting the technical negotiations.
Balcad's latest comments suggest that Mogadishu now considers the Ankara Declaration the principal basis for resolving questions surrounding Ethiopia's maritime ambitions, rather than continuing a legal or political dispute over the fate of the earlier Somaliland memorandum.
For Somalia, any future agreement granting Ethiopia access to its ports or coastline must ultimately be negotiated through the federal government in Mogadishu, under arrangements that preserve the country's territorial integrity.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
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