Ankara, Turkey(Mogadishu24)–Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday ahead of a highly anticipated face-to-face meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The talks, brokered by Turkey, aim to resolve the standoff between Somalia and Ethiopia following the controversial port deal signed between Ethiopia and the breakaway Republic of Somaliland in January this year.

President Hassan traveled to Ankara at the invitation of President Erdogan, who is making a renewed effort to mediate between the two sides. Turkey has been leading the third round of negotiations, with the previous two rounds in July and August failing to yield any tangible results.

The agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which grants Ethiopia access to a port in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence, has been firmly rejected by Somalia, which views it as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

While the outcome of this round of mediation remains uncertain, both Somalia and Ethiopia have shown respect for Turkey’s leadership and President Erdogan’s efforts to bring the parties to the negotiating table.

The meeting between President Hassan Sheikh and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is seen as a critical step toward de-escalating tensions and finding a mutually acceptable resolution to the dispute.

The international community is closely watching this latest diplomatic effort, as the standoff has significant implications for regional stability in the Horn of Africa.