Kenya’s President William Ruto announced on Saturday that he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni would mediate a dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia, a conflict that raised concerns over regional stability.
Ethiopia, a landlocked nation with thousands of troops in Somalia combating al Qaeda-linked insurgents, faced tensions with Mogadishu over its plans to construct a port in Somaliland. In return, Ethiopia considered recognizing the breakaway region’s sovereignty.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and maintained relative peace and stability, though it failed to gain international recognition.
The dispute brought Somalia closer to Egypt and Eritrea, both adversaries of Ethiopia. Egypt had longstanding disagreements with Addis Ababa over its construction of a vast hydroelectric dam on the Nile River.
President Ruto emphasized the importance of Somalia’s security, stating it contributed to the region’s overall stability and provided a conducive environment for investors and entrepreneurs.
Previous attempts to resolve the issue in Ankara, Turkey, yielded no significant progress. Ethiopian officials were unavailable for comment.
