Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was warmly welcomed in Mogadishu on Thursday by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for talks aimed at reinforcing the two nations’ bilateral ties. The visit came after tensions arose last year when Ethiopia struck a deal with Somalia’s breakaway region, Somaliland, to lease a stretch of coastline for a naval base and commercial port, which led to accusations from Somalia that Ethiopia was undermining its territorial integrity.
The two leaders, with the mediation of Turkey, discussed measures to allow Ethiopia access to the sea, with the goal of normalizing relations. The talks also covered important bilateral issues such as trade and security.
However, moments before Abiy’s arrival, shells were fired in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, though it remains unclear if the attack was related to the visit. Somalia’s security situation remains unstable due to the presence of the Islamist al-Shabaab group.