Turkey has begun mediating talks between Somalia and Ethiopia over a port deal Addis Ababa signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year, according to four officials familiar with the matter. The goal of the negotiation was unclear, and expectations of a resolution were low, two of the officials said. “Despite rumours that Somalia has softened its stance on refusing to engage in dialogue until Ethiopia withdraws the (agreement), it seems unlikely,” one of the officials said. Turkey has built schools, hospitals and infrastructure and provided scholarships for Somalis to study in Turkey, and in return secured a foothold in Africa and on a key global shipping route. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Giulia Paravicini; Additional reporting by Dawit Endeshaw and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Hereward Holland and Alex Richardson)

Source: Ethiopian News July 02, 2024 21:34 UTC