Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected Israel's recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent nation. In December, Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia more than 30 years ago. Meanwhile, Abiy urged Turkey to support Ethiopia's quest for sea access, arguing that it was unjust for the country to remain landlocked. Eritrea officially seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, leaving the country without access to a 1,350km (840-mile) Red Sea coastline. This all comes against the backdrop of fears of a return to conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, which borders Eritrea.

Source: The Star February 18, 2026 17:20 UTC