Turkish President Erdogan discusses bilateral, global, regional issues with Somali counterpart

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish president on Friday told his Somali counterpart that Türkiye stands with Somalia in its fight against terrorism, the Communications Directorate said.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud discussed bilateral relations, the fight against terrorism, and global and regional issues over the phone, the directorate said in a statement.

Erdogan told Mahmoud that Türkiye stands with Somalia in its fight against terrorism, the statement noted.

Cooperation between the two countries will continue to increase, it mentioned.

The Turkish president also indicated that the “concerning” tension between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu should end on the basis of Somalia’s territorial integrity, it added.

Türkiye on Thursday expressed concern over a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Ethiopia and Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.

The MoU was signed on Monday, granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea through the port of Berbera in Somaliland.

Ethiopia lost its Red Sea ports in the early 1990s after the Eritrean War of Independence, which lasted from 1961 to 1991.

In 1991, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, leading to the establishment of two separate nations. The separation resulted in Ethiopia losing direct access to the Red Sea and key ports.

Ethiopia has since been landlocked, affecting its ability to conduct efficient maritime trade.