Ankara: Somalia and Ethiopia have pledged to collaborate in resolving their dispute over Addis Ababa's plan to build a port in the self-declared independent region of Somaliland, a move that has attracted the attention of regional powers and posed a potential risk to the stability of the Horn of Africa. The leaders of both countries announced they had reached an agreement to explore commercial arrangements that would provide landlocked Ethiopia with "reliable, secure, and sustainable access to and from the sea," following discussions on Wednesday mediated by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

This meeting marked the first since January when Ethiopia revealed plans to lease a port in Somaliland in exchange for recognizing the region's independence. However, Somalia rejected this arrangement and threatened to expel Ethiopian troops stationed in Somalia to combat Islamist insurgents.

Somalia opposes Somaliland's quest for international recognition, despite the region governing itself and maintaining relative peace and stability since it declared independence in 1991.

In a joint statement issued late Wednesday, Somalia and Ethiopia confirmed their agreement to initiate technical negotiations by the end of February next year, aiming to conclude them within four months. Specific details of the negotiations were not disclosed.

"This joint declaration is focused on the future, not the past," Erdogan stated during a press conference in Ankara following the meeting.

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed his readiness to work with Ethiopia, while Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed acknowledged Turkey's role in facilitating the dialogue.

The dispute has prompted Somalia to strengthen ties with Egypt, which has been at odds with Ethiopia over the construction of a massive hydroelectric dam on the Nile River, as well as with Eritrea, another of Ethiopia's longstanding adversaries. Turkey, maintaining close relationships with both Ethiopia and Somalia, has been providing security training to Somalia and offering development aid in exchange for strategic access to a vital global shipping route.