Ankara Declaration Depicts Ethiopia’s Diplomatic Maturity: Institute of Foreign Affairs

Addis Ababa December 19/2024 (ENA)— The Ankara declaration signed between Ethiopia and Somalia demonstrates the diplomatic maturity and moral high ground of Ethiopia to achieve its legitimate quest for access to the sea through mutually beneficial and peaceful means, Institute of Foreign Affairs Deputy Executive Director Dr. Abdi Zenebe said.

Ethiopia and Somalia have reached an agreement following Turkish-mediated negotiations in Ankara, marking a breakthrough to resolve misunderstandings between the two nations.

The Ankara Declaration stipulates that Ethiopia and Somalia resolutely move forward in cooperation towards common prosperity.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Deputy Executive Director of Institute of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdi Zenebe said that it is a historic declaration and goes beyond Ethiopia while positively impacting the economic, political, security, and diplomatic as well as international relation of the Horn of Africa.

The agreement legitimized Ethiopia’s quest to the sea or Ethiopia’s demand for access to the sea in the most solid and highly consolidated manner, he stated, and added "So this is now a legitimate access which is accepted and recognized by all regional actors including Somalia."

 

“This shows Ethiopia’s diplomatic maturity that reflected high moral ground in a number of different areas; one clear demonstration in this very important element that the commitment of Ethiopia to ensure peace and stability in the region and to pursue its legitimate agenda access to the sea through a peaceful means.”

Abdi further stated that Ethiopian way and approach is a peaceful way through mutually beneficial terms, through a positive and constructive engagement.

“We can achieve what we aspire and this can be a lesson through any part of the different theaters that we see across the world,” he added.

Ethiopia’s quest to the sea as an issue had been a taboo not only at the regional level but also at national level as well, Abdi, said, and emphasized “once and for all the Ankara declaration closed that negative thought and tainted Ethiopian history.”

Ethiopia today has a vision dream that is to build prosperity, peace and regional integration, he stressed.

 

Abdi pointed out that Ethiopia’s peacekeeping troop contribution and deployment to many African countries demonstrates its principled foreign policy priority for peace and stability; especially in the Horn of Africa and the sub-region.

Ethiopia has been demonstrating its interests through diplomacy, cooperation; he added noting that “peace can be achieved through mutually beneficial terms win-win approaches can be realized.”

“So, I think this is a major lesson to any conflict. It revived the hope for humanity that the course of peace is never finished and to achieve peace through dialogue is very important element. So, while there was tension before the Ankara declaration, while there were also different provocations before this declaration, what we have witnessed is an amazing development. As a turnaround that it rather consolidated the strong relation between Somalia and Ethiopia and Somalia also recognized the sacrifices made by Ethiopian soldiers,” Abdi explained.

Ethiopia, in alignment to its aspiration of mutual growth and prosperity with its neighboring countries, will have abundant clean and renewable energy to export from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

“So, this document also captures a very important element of the need to collaborate and the need to working together in order to have a shared prosperity across the region. So, this is a very historic document that would help to strengthen peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, enhanced economic integration in the sub-region and most certainly as you have seen recently its hugely deescalated the perceived tension in the security,” Abdi commended.