Ethiopian intelligence chief Redwan Hussien held a crucial meeting with his Somali counterpart Abdullahi Mohamed Ali on Tuesday in Addis Ababa to deepen security cooperation and strengthen commitments made in the Ankara Declaration, a significant agreement mediated by Türkiye earlier this month.
In a post on X, Hussien highlighted that the discussions focused on addressing shared security challenges and reaffirming their commitment to countering any efforts aimed at derailing progress. “As a follow-up to the Ankara Declaration, we both vowed to move forward and keep detractors from near and afar who are bent on derailment at bay,” Hussien stated.
The meeting coincided with the arrival of Somali Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Omar and a delegation, further reinforcing the commitments under the Ankara Declaration. Signed on December 12, the agreement marked a pivotal moment in the relationship between Ethiopia and Somalia, which had recently been marred by tensions.
In January, Ethiopia’s agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway Somali region, to use the Berbera port reignited discord between the two nations. Türkiye played a key role in mediating the dispute and helping restore dialogue.
A joint statement from both countries underscored their mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence, emphasizing the importance of the Ankara Declaration in reinforcing bilateral cooperation.