Ethiopia has issued a strong statement asserting its determination to protect its development efforts and regional stability, warning against any attempts to destabilize the Horn of Africa.
"Ethiopia will not passively observe any attempts to destabilize the region as well as to thwart its development efforts," Ethiopian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nebiat Getachew said at a press briefing, as quoted by the state Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).
Getachew stressed that Ethiopia's diplomacy is rooted in mutual development and regional integration, based on principles of reciprocity. He also underlined that Ethiopia's foreign policy prioritizes strong relationships with neighboring countries.
While acknowledging the recent actions of neighboring countries he did not name, the spokesman reiterated his country's commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes and avoidance of hostile rhetoric.
However, he also stressed that Ethiopia will closely monitor actions that affect its national interests and respond accordingly.
On Tuesday, the third round of negotiations between Somalia and Ethiopia in Ankara was canceled. The two East African neighbors previously held two rounds of talks in Ankara but failed to resolve the dispute that arose after landlocked Ethiopia sealed a maritime access deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.
Commenting on the postponement of the third round of Turkish-brokered Ethiopian-Somali talks, Getachew said that the talks, originally scheduled for September 17, were postponed due to scheduling conflicts with the UN General Assembly, which is being held in New York from September 10-30.