MOGADISHU (SD)-Ethiopia has announced that it will continue its diplomatic efforts to secure access to the sea, emphasizing that it will explore all possible avenues to ensure its maritime access and use.

Spokesperson for the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nebiyu Tedla, speaking to the press in Addis Ababa, stated that Ethiopia is committed to pursuing this goal and that they will be participating in the third phase of the negotiations in Ankara, expressing appreciation for Turkey’s involvement.

Tedla also highlighted the necessity of consulting with Ethiopia regarding any changes to the mandate or name of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). He stressed that Ethiopia is a key player in these plans and must be listened to and respected.

Ethiopia reiterated its commitment to simultaneous negotiations with both the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the implementation of the agreement it reached with Somaliland. It made it clear that it has not abandoned the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with Somaliland while also engaging in negotiations with the FGS.

Recently, the Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that Somalia would not accept Ethiopia’s approach, which he described as “taking what you can by force if necessary.” He emphasized that Somalia would not compromise its position against the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement.