Addis Ababa (Dawan Africa) — Ethiopia and Somalia have formally opened a mid-term review meeting of their Joint Ministerial Commission in Addis Ababa on Friday, in what Ethiopian officials described as a bid to “lay the groundwork for a deeper and more strategic relationship” between the two Horn of Africa neighbors.
Held at the Hilton Hotel in the Ethiopian capital, the review marks the first follow-up session since the inaugural Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in Mogadishu in September 2023. Senior representatives from both governments are assessing the progress of previously signed agreements while identifying new avenues for cooperation.
“This meeting lays the groundwork for a deeper and more strategic relationship between our two countries,” said Ambassador Zerihun Abebe, Director General for African Affairs at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the opening session. “We are here to identify new areas of cooperation—across trade, education, health, and civil aviation—that reflect our shared future.”
The Somali delegation is led by Mohamed Isaaq Fatiir, Director General for East African Community Affairs at Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Fatiir emphasized that the discussions are not limited to government-level policy, but extend to long-term social and economic integration.
“Our focus is to strengthen the ties between our peoples—not just our governments,” he said. “Security, economic progress, and regional integration will be achieved only through mutual trust and inclusive cooperation.”
Discussions are covering a wide range of sectors including security collaboration, trade facilitation, education, youth skills development, health services, civil aviation, and labor mobility. Both sides are also expected to review bilateral implementation mechanisms and agree on timelines for pending projects.
Somalia’s state media noted that the meeting also aims to deepen cooperation on people-to-people diplomacy, while Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry described the platform as a venue to deliberate on both bilateral and multilateral issues of common concern.
While framed as a technical session, regional observers note that the timing of the dialogue suggests a broader diplomatic intent to de-escalate recent tensions and renew cross-border engagement. The talks come months after political friction over Ethiopia’s port access ambitions and Somalia’s firm stance on territorial sovereignty.
The Joint Ministerial Commission is a key bilateral framework that aims to institutionalize cooperation across government departments. Its revival and mid-term review signal an effort by both Addis Ababa and Mogadishu to realign their strategic interests through dialogue rather than confrontation.
