Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-The third round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia, which was scheduled to take place on September 17th in Ankara, Turkey, has been postponed with no new date set.

Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, confirmed to Dawan TV that the postponement was due to the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, which coincides with the proposed meeting date. 

He dismissed rumors of new obstacles affecting the talks.

Minister Fiqi also mentioned that an announcement on the new meeting date is expected within the next two days.

Relations between Somalia and Ethiopia have deteriorated following Ethiopia’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Somaliland, which would grant Ethiopia access to a Red Sea port and establish a military base. This agreement has angered Mogadishu, as Somaliland is a self-declared republic that is not internationally recognized.

Despite two previous rounds of talks in Turkey, no significant progress has been made in resolving the issues.