Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made it clear to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that Ethiopia will not benefit from recognizing Somaliland, during an official visit to Addis Ababa.
Erdogan noted that the issue of Somaliland’s recognition is not in Ethiopia’s interest, and that Turkey prioritizes preserving the unity and solidarity of Somalia.
The Turkish president also reiterated his country’s stance against Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
He said such recognition “is not in the interest of Somaliland and the Horn of Africa as a whole.”
This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced last December that he had recognized Somaliland as an independent state separate from the rest of Somalia.
The news comes amid reports that Somaliland and Ethiopia are working on a new agreement that could allow Ethiopia to officially recognize Somaliland in the near future.
Erdogan’s visit to Ethiopia highlights Turkey’s growing role in the Horn of Africa, especially in matters related to Somalia and Ankara’s strategic relationship with Mogadishu.
