Sunday October 12, 2025
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the National Palace in Addis Ababa on Sunday, during a high-level visit focused on restoring diplomatic ties and strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two neighbouring nations. CREDIT / ENA
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Sunday for a high-level visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties amid renewed efforts to stabilize relations between the two Horn of Africa neighbours.
Villa Somalia said Abiy welcomed Hassan Sheikh at Bole International Airport before the leaders held a tête-à-tête at the National Palace focused on strengthening relations and development cooperation grounded in “good neighbourliness, mutual respect, and shared prosperity,” while upholding each country’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. Ethiopia’s prime minister confirmed the meeting and said discussions covered bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
Officials said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, pledging to rebuild trust following months of strained relations.
Sunday’s meeting builds on a fragile rapprochement that began with the Türkiye-mediated Ankara Declaration on Dec. 11, 2024, and a follow-on commitment on Jan. 11–12, 2025, to restore full diplomatic representation after a yearlong rift. Relations deteriorated in January 2024 when Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland on sea access and potential recognition, a move Mogadishu condemned as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.
Since then, both sides have signalled interest in rebuilding practical cooperation while managing contentious issues. Somali officials have pressed for respect of Somalia’s territorial integrity and a “one-door” approach that channels foreign engagement with Somali territories through the federal government. Ethiopian officials, for their part, have emphasized the need to keep security coordination intact against al-Shabab and to stabilize key cross-border trade corridors.
Diplomatic sources told Hiiraan Online that the talks also touched on Somalia’s Jubaland region, where federal authorities are working to resolve long-standing disputes with the regional administration—a matter closely watched by Addis Ababa due to its proximity and influence in southern Somalia.
The talks also unfold against shifting security arrangements as the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) takes shape, and as external alignments evolve. Somalia has expanded defence and economic cooperation with Türkiye and signed a defence protocol with Egypt in 2024, while Ethiopia has long contributed forces, both under AU frameworks and via bilateral deployments, to counter al-Shabab. The unresolved disputes over sea access, recognition questions, and troop configurations could complicate mission planning if not addressed through sustained dialogue.
The leaders are expected to continue high-level consultations in the coming days.