UAE praises agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia

The UAE has welcomed the historic agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia to resolve their dispute, expressing hope it will consolidate bridges of communication to reinforce stability. 

The neighbouring countries have been at odds since January, when Ethiopia signed a maritime deal with Somaliland-which Somalia considers part of its territory.

Ethiopia has been the most populous landlocked country in the world since Eritrea broke away in 1993, and the lack of a major seaport has held back development. In January, Ethiopia signed a deal to lease a port from a breakaway region in Somalia, Somaliland, in exchange for recognizing its independence. In response, Somalia threatened to expel Ethiopian troops that are in the country to fight al-Shabab terrorists.

The leaders announced the deal in Ankara after marathon talks mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed its close ties with both Ethiopia and Somalia, praising the benefits the deal will bring to both countries.