The United States welcomes the December 11 Declaration between the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia reaffirming each country's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity and advancing cooperation on shared interests. We appreciate the leadership of Türkiye in facilitating this Declaration. We look forward to technical negotiations to permit Ethiopia to enjoy reliable, secure, and sustainable access to the sea for mutual economic benefit while respecting Somalia's territorial integrity.
Ongoing dialogue and engagement are essential for a stable and prosperous future for Ethiopia and Somalia. We encourage Ethiopia and Somalia to intensify their cooperation on mutual security interests, particularly the fight against al-Shabaab, and look forward to continuing our close bilateral cooperation with both nations.
