Somalia and Ethiopia have taken a significant step towards resolving their dispute over the development of a port in Somaliland, a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia. The two countries have agreed to initiate technical negotiations by the end of February next year, with a commitment to conclude them within four months.

The diplomatic conflict began in January when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed revealed plans for Ethiopia to gain access to a port in Somaliland. In exchange, Ethiopia would offer a stake in its state-owned carrier, Ethiopia Airlines, and recognize Somaliland's independence. However, Somalia strongly opposed the move, citing it as a violation of its territorial integrity.

Somalia has long maintained that Somaliland is a part of its territory, and has warned that corporations recognizing Somaliland as an independent state would be met with penalties. Despite Somaliland governing itself with relative peace and stability since declaring independence in 1991, Somalia remains staunchly opposed to international recognition of the region.

Following discussions mediated by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the leaders of both Somalia and Ethiopia have agreed to collaborate on finding commercial solutions that would provide Ethiopia, a landlocked country, with "reliable, secure, and sustainable access to and from the sea." This development is seen as a significant breakthrough in the dispute, which has pushed Somalia closer to Egypt, a longtime adversary of Ethiopia.

The dispute has also led to Somalia strengthening ties with Eritrea, another of Ethiopia's long-time adversaries. Meanwhile, Turkey, which maintains strong relationships with both Ethiopia and Somalia, has played a pivotal role by training Somalia's security forces and providing development assistance.

The resolution of this dispute could have significant implications for the region, particularly in terms of trade and economic development. A reliable and secure access to the sea would provide a major boost to Ethiopia's economy, and could also lead to increased economic cooperation between the two countries.

Furthermore, the agreement to initiate technical negotiations marks a significant shift in the dynamics of the dispute, from a confrontational approach to a more collaborative one. This could pave the way for further diplomatic efforts to resolve other long-standing disputes in the region.

As the two countries embark on this new path, it remains to be seen how the negotiations will unfold and what the ultimate outcome will be. However, one thing is clear: the resolution of this dispute could have far-reaching implications for the region, and could potentially set a new tone for diplomatic relations in East Africa.