Amid ongoing geopolitical shifts in the Horn of Africa, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro) received Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Somaliland, Teshome Shunde Hamito, in Hargeisa on Tuesday, reaffirming close ties between the two governments.
The high-level meeting, attended by Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdirahman Dahir Adan, focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and easing cross-border mobility. Both sides emphasized the need for continued dialogue and pledged to deepen their diplomatic engagement.
According to regional media outlet Horn Diplomat, the discussions are part of a broader push by President Irro to raise Somaliland’s international standing through assertive foreign policy moves, including plans for an official visit to Ethiopia in the near future.
The meeting comes in the wake of lingering tensions with Somalia, which had denounced a controversial Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland on sea access in 2024. The dispute was eventually defused with Turkish mediation through the Ankara Declaration. So far, the Somali government has not commented on the latest diplomatic exchange.
Ethiopian media outlets report that preparations are underway for President Irro’s working visit to Addis Ababa, although no dates have been officially confirmed.
The talks concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to peaceful, cooperative relations, underscoring a shared interest in regional stability and development.