Turkey Mediates Somalia-Ethiopia Port Dispute Amid Regional Tensions

Turkish diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia over a controversial port deal with Somaliland have entered a critical phase. The second round of indirect talks, facilitated by Turkey, concluded on August 13, 2024, without reaching an agreement. However, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan reported some progress, stating that there was "convergence on some major principles."

The conflict arose in January when landlocked Ethiopia announced an agreement to lease 20 km of coastline from Somaliland, a breakaway region claiming independence from Somalia, in exchange for recognition. Somalia's government vehemently opposes this deal, viewing it as an infringement on its territorial integrity.

Turkey's involvement in mediating this dispute underscores its growing influence in the Horn of Africa. Since 2010, Turkey has significantly expanded its diplomatic presence across Africa, opening numerous embassies and fostering trade relationships.

The tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia have broader regional implications, particularly for security cooperation against the terrorist group al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, which has been active in Somalia since 2006, remains a significant threat to regional stability. Reports suggest that Somalia may seek to replace Ethiopian troops in the country with Egyptian soldiers as part of an updated African Union peacekeeping mission set to begin in 2025.

This potential troop change has raised concerns in Ethiopia, which opposes the presence of Egyptian forces near its borders. The situation is further complicated by Ethiopia's separate conflict with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant.

In other developments across the continent:

• Sudan peace talks continue in Geneva, with U.S. special envoy Tom Perriello working to achieve a ceasefire and open humanitarian corridors. The ongoing conflict has displaced over 10 million people and led to a cholera outbreak.

• Africa faces a shortage of mpox vaccines as cases rise, particularly in East and Central Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo alone has reported over 15,000 cases and 540 deaths from a new variant called Clade 1b. Mpox, first identified in humans in 1970 in the DRC, has become a growing concern for public health officials.

• A dispute between Nigeria and China over asset seizure has escalated, with a French court seizing three Nigerian presidential jets. The case stems from a failed 2007 business deal between Nigeria's Ogun state and a Chinese company.

• The African football community mourns the loss of Issa Hayatou, former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who died on August 16, 2024. Hayatou led CAF for 29 years and briefly served as acting FIFA president in 2015-2016.

• Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has filed a lawsuit in France against X (formerly Twitter) for online harassment related to gender eligibility tests. The case highlights ongoing controversies surrounding gender testing in sports, a practice that has been contentious since its introduction in the 1960s.

As these events unfold, the international community watches closely, recognizing the complex challenges facing African nations and the potential for both conflict and cooperation in addressing them.

"We are ready to engage in economic and development cooperation with Ethiopia, but such partnerships must always respect Somalia's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and adhere to international law and norms."