Ethiopia and Somalia's leaders have reached a deal to end a nearly year-old bitter dispute following hours of talks in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Wednesday.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Ankara on Wednesday with the two previous rounds of talks, brokered by Turkey, having made little progress.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called it a "historic agreement", adding that he hoped the deal would be "the first step toward a new beginning based on peace and cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia."

What was the feud about?

The two East African neighbors have been at loggerheads since landlocked Ethiopia made a deal in January with Somalia's breakaway region Somaliland.

They agreed to lease a stretch of coastline for a port and military base in exchange for recognition, although this was never confirmed by Addis Ababa.

It was a move that sparked both a diplomatic and military row between Ethiopia and Somalia, with the latter saying the alleged deal was a violation of its sovereignty. The escalating tensions led to international concern over the risk of renewed conflict in the Horn of Africa region.

What the leaders said

According to the agreement released by Turkey, both parties agreed to work closely together on commercial arrangements and bilateral agreements that would ensure Ethiopia's "reliable, safe and sustainable access" to the sea "under the sovereign authority of the Federal Republic of Somalia". 

To enable that, technical talks between the two countries would begin no later than the end of February 2025, would be completed within a four month period and could use Turkey's assistance to work through any disagreements.

Speaking at a press conference following the agreement, Ethiopia's Abiy said: "We have addressed the misunderstandings that have occurred over the past year."

"Ethiopia's desire for secure access to the sea is a peaceful venture and will benefit our neighbors, it is a venture that must be seen in the spirit of cooperation, not suspicion."

He added that the "constructive talks" would allow the two nations "to enter the New Year in a spirit of cooperation, friendship and the willingness to work together instead of against each other."

The Somali leader also commented on the agreement, saying it had "put a halt to their differences" and that his nation was "ready to work with the Ethiopian leadership and the Ethiopian people".

Erdogan struck an equally positive note, following the reportedly eight hour talks.

"I believe with the meeting we had today, especially with Ethiopia's demands to access the sea, my brother Sheikh Mohamud will give the necessary support for accessing the sea," he said. 

km/rmt (AFP, Reuters)