Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state, warning that the move could destabilise an already volatile region.
Speaking during an official visit to Ethiopia, Erdogan said developments in the Horn of Africa should not be shaped by outside powers, stressing that regional countries must resolve their disputes independently.
Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland in December. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia more than three decades ago, but its statehood is not internationally recognised, and Somalia continues to regard the territory as part of its sovereign land. Israel’s decision has angered authorities in Mogadishu.
Erdogan’s remarks come amid heightened regional sensitivities involving Ethiopia and Somaliland. Two years ago, Ethiopia announced plans to lease part of Somaliland’s coastline to develop a port, a move that sparked strong opposition from Somalia and raised fears of wider conflict. Erdogan later played a mediating role in efforts to ease tensions between the two countries.
Responding to Erdogan’s comments, Somaliland’s foreign ministry said Turkey should avoid actions or statements that could further inflame regional tensions, noting Ankara’s growing geopolitical influence in the Horn of Africa.
At a joint press conference in Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Erdogan said the Horn of Africa should not become “a battlefield for foreign forces,” adding that regional stability depends on local solutions.
Abiy, meanwhile, urged Turkey to support Ethiopia’s long-standing demand for access to the sea, arguing that it is unjust for the country to remain landlocked. Ethiopia lost its Red Sea coastline following Eritrea’s independence in 1993.
“It is not right for a country with a population exceeding 130 million to remain a geographical prisoner for so long,” Abiy said, claiming that Ethiopia’s lack of sea access is the result of hostile actions by its adversaries.
Since the Somaliland port agreement collapsed in 2024, Abiy has increasingly focused on securing access through Eritrea’s southern port of Assab, located about 60 kilometres from Ethiopia’s border. He has previously suggested that force could be used if diplomatic efforts fail.
Abiy said he had asked Turkey to apply diplomatic pressure and assist Ethiopia in pursuing peaceful solutions to gain sea access, thanking Erdogan for engaging on the issue.
The diplomatic tensions are unfolding against concerns over a potential return to conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, which borders Eritrea. During the 2020–2022 Tigray war, Eritrean forces fought alongside Ethiopian troops against Tigrayan fighters, but shifting alliances have since raised fears of renewed confrontation.
Local media reports suggest growing anxiety in Tigray amid alleged military build-ups near the region. Banks have reportedly run out of cash, and civil servants did not receive January salaries, further deepening frustration among residents.