A tripartite meeting was held in Djibouti last night, attended by Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The meeting took place at the residence of the Djibouti President in Haramus settlement, where they had a fast-breaking iftar followed by a luncheon. The discussion between the three leaders focused on the general situation in the Horn of Africa, peace and security, as well as cooperation and economic development in the region. According to a statement posted on the official account of the Djibouti President, the talks centered on consultations and understanding of the current constraints shared by these countries, while also strengthening cooperation and unifying decisions and steps to be taken. The leaders also discussed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its potential economic impact on the Horn of Africa, particularly in the areas of trade and economy. During the meeting, the leaders agreed to strengthen working cooperation based on the mutual interests of Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia, with a focus on security issues, economic development, and regional integration. The meeting coincided with Ethiopia’s efforts to gain access to the sea, while Djibouti has made maximum efforts to bring Addis Ababa and Mogadishu closer together to demonstrate the political stance between the two countries, specifically on issues relating to Somaliland. Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Somaliland, agreeing to lease 20 km of its coast to Ethiopia in exchange for recognition of Somaliland. However, Somalia has deemed this agreement controversial, straining relations between the two countries. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Djibouti on Wednesday afternoon for a one-day official working visit. Prime Minister Ahmed was accompanied by a delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Adam Farah, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide, Minister for Peace Affairs Mohamed Idiris, Intelligence Chief Redwan Hussein, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Berhanu Tsegaye, Head of Ethiopia’s Office of the Prime Minister Betre Mengistu, and Ethiopian Ambassador to Djibouti Tulu Adera. Somali President Mohamud was accompanied by a delegation including Defense Minister Ahmed Mo’alin Fiqi, Minister of Ports Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, Civil Aviation Minister Mohamed Farah Nur, Minister of Public Works Ayub Ismail Yusuf, and State Security Minister Mohamed Ali Xaga. Djibouti President Ismael Omar Guelleh was accompanied by Minister of Economy and Finance Ilyas Mousa Dawaleh, Foreign Minister Abdulkadir Hussein Omar, Defense Minister Hussein Omar Mohamud, National Security Director Hassan Saed Khaireh, and Djibouti’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Abdi Mohamud Aybe. Analysts have noted that the tripartite meeting is part of ongoing efforts to define new cooperation and strategies among countries in the Horn of Africa, with consideration given to the economic and political situation in the region.
