Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly denounced Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state during his official visit to Ethiopia. Speaking at a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, Erdogan characterized the recognition as potentially destabilizing for the volatile Horn of Africa region.
The diplomatic development comes after Israel became the first nation to acknowledge Somaliland’s sovereignty in December, three decades after the territory declared independence from Somalia. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Mogadishu, which maintains Somaliland remains an integral part of Somali territory.
Erdogan positioned Turkey as a advocate for regional self-determination, stating: ‘The Horn of Africa should not become the battlefield of foreign forces. We believe that countries of the region should address their problems through dialogue and cooperation.’
The visit highlighted Turkey’s growing geopolitical influence in East Africa, with Erdogan having previously mediated tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia in 2024 when Addis Ababa attempted to lease coastline territory from Somaliland for port access.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abiy utilized the diplomatic platform to advocate for Ethiopia’s maritime aspirations, describing the nation’s landlocked status as ‘geographical imprisonment’ for its 130 million citizens. Abiy specifically requested Turkish diplomatic support in securing peaceful access to sea ports, notably referencing Eritrea’s southern port of Assab located approximately 60 kilometers from Ethiopia’s border.
The discussions occur against a backdrop of escalating tensions in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, where reports indicate military buildups and growing civil unrest. The complex regional dynamics are further complicated by shifting alliances and the legacy of the 1998-2000 border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea that resulted in over 100,000 casualties.