Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is on an official visit to Ethiopia, said his country does not want to see "new conflicts and pain" in the Horn of Africa and that the region should not become a "battlefield for foreign powers."

The Turkish president added that Israel's recognition of Somaliland would be "of no benefit to Somaliland or the Horn of Africa."

Turkish President Erdogan, who is said to have arrived in Ethiopia at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, made the remarks in a statement in Addis Ababa on Tuesday, February 17, 2025.

Erdogan and Prime Minister Abiy made the joint statement after it was reported that they had held “extensive discussions.”

Expressing his delight at returning to Addis Ababa after 11 years, Turkish President Erdogan said the two countries also have cooperation in areas such as railway and transportation infrastructure, factories, and power transmission lines.

The President noted that “Ethiopia has an irreplaceable role in Islamic culture.” He added that Turkey would “pay great attention to further developing its long-standing relations with the friendly Ethiopian people.”

The President said that “Ethiopia’s long-standing state structure and exemplary governance have become even more important at a time when the eyes of the whole world are on the Horn of Africa.”

He said that he would engage in relations with the Horn of Africa countries based on “equal partnership and mutual understanding” and that his country would stand by the people of the region.