The Ankara Declaration, signed on December 12, 2024, by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud under the mediation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marks a significant diplomatic milestone in addressing geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa. Emerging from months of heightened regional instability, the agreement seeks to resolve a longstanding maritime access dispute that threatened to destabilize bilateral relations between Somalia and Ethiopia and undermine regional security. This development represents a major diplomatic breakthrough following the two failed rounds of discussion since July 2024. The crisis that necessitated the agreement began in January 2024, when Ethiopia entered a controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia.
The MoU proposed recognizing Somaliland’s independence in exchange for Ethiopian access to port facilities and a potential military base. Somalia, which views Somaliland as an integral part of its territory, responded by expelling Ethiopia’s ambassador and blocking its participation in regional peacekeeping efforts, escalating tensions to critical points.
The Ankara Declaration addressed three critical issues. First, it reaffirms Somalia’s territorial integrity and implicitly rejects the validity of Ethiopia’s earlier MoU with Somaliland. Second, it grants Ethiopia maritime access via Somali ports but emphasizes that this access remains under Somali authority and oversight. Third, it establishes a framework for technical negotiations aimed at finalizing commercial arrangements by February 2025 with a strict four-month deadline. While these measures signal progress toward fostering regional cooperation, they also underscore the challenges of balancing Ethiopia’s strategic interests with Somalia’s sovereignty.
The Declaration’s endorsement by international actors, including the African Union (AU), the United States, and the United Kingdom, further emphasizes its significance as a potential model for conflict resolution in the region.
This policy analysis examines the legal implications of the Ankara Declaration with a particular focus on its impact on Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Ethiopia’s maritime access. By analyzing the Declaration’s provisions, this paper explores their alignment with international law and their potential to shape future maritime cooperation between Ethiopia and Somalia.
