Turkey’s Erdogan heads to Ethiopia amid tensions over Horn of Africa
The Turkish leader is expected to raise Ankara’s concerns over Somalia’s territorial integrity while discussing ways to deepen bilateral ties with Addis Ababa.
ANKARA — Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will travel to Ethiopia on Tuesday for talks in Addis Ababa amid lingering tensions in the Horn of Africa as regional rivalry intensifies following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland last December.
Erdogan will visit the Ethiopian capital at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, according to a statement by the Turkish presidency’s Directorate of Communications last week.
The statement said the two sides are expected to sign “various agreements and documents whose negotiations have been completed,” without disclosing details of the package.
Why it matters: The trip marks Erdogan's first visit to the Horn of Africa since 2016 amid ongoing regional tensions after Israel recognized Somaliland, fueling Ankara's concerns over Somalia's territorial integrity. Ethiopia borders both Somalia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
