MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia and Ethiopia held bilateral talks aimed at advancing the Ankara Declaration and strengthening their relationship, which has faced challenges since January.
A Somali delegation, led by the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, met with Ethiopia’s counterpart, Mesganu Arega, in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, discussing ways to improve their cooperation.
During the meeting, Minister Ali Bal’ad voiced Somalia’s strong protest over the actions of Ethiopian troops who killed and wounded several Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers in Dollow, Gedo region.
Bal’ad said Ethiopia would conduct an immediate investigation and collaborate with Somalia to prevent such incidents in the future.
Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry denied any role in Monday’s armed clash in Dollow, alleging the incident was “instigated by a third party to derail the efforts to normalize relations between Ethiopia and Somalia.”
The ministry also pledged to uphold peace and security in the region by combating terrorism and improving bilateral relations with Somalia to honor the Ankara Declaration.
Critics questioned the talks with Ethiopia, arguing that Ethiopian troops had killed SNA soldiers on Somali soil. They labeled the dialogue as a misguided policy and a blow to Somalia’s reputation.
They also suggested Ethiopia be held accountable for its actions and ongoing violations of Somalia’s sovereignty as a lesson to any country disregarding the rules laid out by Somalia.
In a Vox Pop interview, residents in Mogadishu said Ethiopia’s killing of SNA soldiers in Dollow could be a sign of a poor policy by Somalia’s leadership.
They called for Ethiopia to be monitored, barred from accessing Somalia’s waters, and for its troops serving as part of the African Union mission in Somalia to be expelled.
Many other Somalis also took to social media to condemn Ethiopia’s actions. They urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to sever ties and prevent Ethiopia from having any involvement in Somalia.
They also accused President Mohamud of hesitating to take firm action against Ethiopia for violating the country’s sovereignty by launching an attack on SNA troops stationed along the border.
However, it remains unclear whether the Ankara Declaration will proceed, as Somalia says Ethiopia’s ongoing violations will not go unanswered, further weakening the already fragile relations.
