Kenya, Uganda to mediate Ethiopia-Somalia dispute over break-away Somaliland
Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Saturday that he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni would work to mediate tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia, citing the dispute’s potential impact on regional stability.
The rift centers on Ethiopia’s plans to build a port in Somaliland, a self-declared independent region that has operated autonomously since 1991 but lacks international recognition.
In exchange for the port development, Ethiopia has hinted at possibly recognizing Somaliland’s sovereignty—a move strongly opposed by Somalia’s Mogadishu government.
Somalia’s opposition to Ethiopia’s actions has drawn it closer to Egypt, a longstanding adversary of Ethiopia due to disputes over Addis Ababa’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River. Eritrea, another rival of Ethiopia, has also aligned with Somalia in this disagreement.
Speaking at a news conference, President Ruto reaffirmed the importance of resolving the conflict for regional stability, stating, “The security of Somalia… contributes significantly to the stability of our region and the environment for investors and businesspeople to thrive.”
Efforts to mediate the dispute, including previous negotiations in Ankara, Turkey, have so far failed to yield a resolution.
