Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to end their bitter dispute over Addis Ababa's plans to build a port in the breakaway republic of Somaliland following talks in Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the "historic agreement", which he said would eventually ensure landlocked Ethiopia's access to the sea.

The leaders of Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to hold “technical talks” to resolve a dispute sparked by Ethiopia’s deal with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland.

Somalia and Ethiopia, which have been fighting since January, have reached a compromise deal to end tensions over the Somaliland dispute with

The new agreement comes even as sources close to US President-elect Donald Trump say his administration is likely to recognize Somaliland’s independence.

The dispute between began January 1 when Somaliland’s president, Muse Bihi Abdi, and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a "historic" memorandum of understanding to lease 20 kilometers of seafront to Ethiopia for 50 years,

Ethiopia has secured access to the sea through Somali territory, while Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity were affirmed under a landmark agreement reached between the two countries in the Turkish capital on Thursday.

The African Union on Thursday urged Ethiopia and Somalia to implement "without delay" a breakthrough agreement aimed at ending tensions between the neighbours over Ethiopia's access to the sea and called the deal an "important act".