Addis Ababa, Jan 13 : Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to restore and enhance bilateral ties, marking a significant step in easing recent diplomatic tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations.

The agreement was reached during a meeting in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is on a working visit to Ethiopia, Xinhua news agency reported.

The leaders held constructive discussions on regional and bilateral issues, aiming to deepen the fraternal bond between their peoples, according to a joint communique released Saturday evening.

Both leaders agreed to "restore and enhance" bilateral relations through full diplomatic representation in their respective capitals. They also emphasised closer collaboration between their diplomatic missions on multilateral and regional matters of mutual interest, the communique said.

Noting that the stability of the region requires the two countries' strong cooperation based on mutual trust, confidence, and respect, the two leaders pledged to strengthen coordination on improving regional relations and fostering common understanding and shared progress.

The leaders further underscored the need to enhance security cooperation, particularly in countering the threat posed by extremist militant groups in the region. They agreed to direct their security agencies to deepen collaboration in promoting peace and stability, it noted.

Reaffirming their commitment to the Ankara Declaration, the two leaders pledged to expedite technical negotiations outlined in the agreement.

The Somali president's visit to Ethiopia followed last month's Turkish-mediated talks in Ankara, which helped resolve misunderstandings and de-escalate diplomatic tensions that had strained relations throughout 2024.

The diplomatic rift had been escalating between the two neighboring countries after Ethiopia and Somaliland reportedly signed an agreement earlier in 2024, allowing Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in exchange for its recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia, as an independent state. Somalia said the agreement is legally invalid.

As part of the normalisation efforts, Ethiopia's Defence Minister Aisha Mohammed led a high-level delegation to Somalia earlier this month, reiterating both nations' commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

/IANS