Turkey’s president rejects Israel’s recognition of Somaliland

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation. During a visit to Ethiopia, Erdogan said it could prove dangerous for a volatile region. In December, Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia more than 30 years ago.

The move upset Mogadishu, which still considers Somaliland as part of its territory. Landlocked Ethiopia has yet to comment, but its plans two years ago to lease a piece of Somaliland’s coastline to build a port angered Somalia at the time – and it was Erdogan who mediated an end to the dispute that had prompted fears of a wider conflict. In reaction to Erdogan’s comments, Somaliland’s foreign ministry said that Turkey, which has in recent years become an important geopolitical player in the Horn of Africa, should refrain from inflaming regional tensions.

At a joint press conference in Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Erdogan said: “The Horn of Africa should not be the battlefield of foreign forces. “We believe that countries of the region should address their problems by themselves.” Meanwhile, Abiy urged Turkey to support Ethiopia’s quest for sea access, arguing that it was unjust for the country to remain landlocked. Eritrea officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving the country without access to a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline. “It is not right for a country with a population of over 130 million to be denied sea access and remain a geographical prisoner for a long time due to the conspiracy of our enemies,” Abiy said.