Turkey aims to meet Somalia, Ethiopia separately before new mediation talks

Somali people march against the Ethiopia-Somaliland port deal at the Yarisow stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia on January 3, 2024. PHOTO | REUTERS

Turkey aims to meet separately with Somalia and Ethiopia as part of its efforts to resolve a dispute between the sides over a deal that Ethiopia agreed to lease a stretch of coastline from Somaliland, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday.

Turkey has so far hosted two rounds of meetings between the East African neighbours in an attempt to repair their relations. A third round of talks that had initially been set to take place in Ankara on Tuesday was cancelled.