17.02.2026 18:50
During his official visit to Addis Ababa, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, stating that the Horn of Africa should not be a battleground for foreign powers. "We do not want conflict in Africa. I want to reiterate that Israel's recognition of Somaliland is of no benefit to either Somaliland or the Horn of Africa," he said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during his official visit to Addis Ababa.
Highlights from President Erdoğan's speech are as follows:
"WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE ANCIENT BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN ETHIOPIA AND US"
"Ethiopia is not only a brotherly country for us but also a leading country in terms of its pioneering role on the African continent. The fact that this visit coincides with the 100th anniversary of the opening of our embassy is also a source of great pride.
We discussed commercial investments, energy, mining, communication, and many other issues. We talked about how to achieve our trade volume of 1 billion dollars. It is a source of pride for us that over 200 of our companies support the people here with nearly 2.5 billion dollars in investments.
We attach great importance to improving our relations with the friendly Ethiopian people. The village of Nejash, which is the first Muslim settlement in Africa, is very important in terms of our cultural ties. We are strengthening the ancient bonds of friendship between Ethiopia and us. We will continue to build cultural bridges with our TIKA office. We will continue to be alongside the beautiful people in this sincere geography.
"WE DO NOT WANT CONFLICT IN AFRICA"
As Turkey, we do not want new conflicts and sufferings to be added to what the region has already endured. We want the countries of the region to develop solutions to the problems of the region. The Horn of Africa should not be a battleground for foreign powers. We do not want conflict in Africa. I want to emphasize again that Israel's recognition of Somaliland is of no benefit to either Somaliland or the Horn of Africa. We believe that the countries of the region should develop solutions to the problems of the region and that the Horn of Africa should not be turned into a battleground for foreign powers.
I hope that this visit will contribute to the peace of the region."