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.

Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement Wednesday to end diplomatic tensions and to begin talks by February to iron out details over a controversial maritime access deal signed by Ethiopia with the breakaway Somalia region of Somaliland.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that Somalia and Ethiopia have come to a mutual understanding to address their dispute

Somalia and Ethiopia said they would work together to resolve a dispute over Addis Ababa's plan to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland, which had drawn in regional powers and threatened to further destabilise the Horn of Africa.

Somalia and Ethiopia announced plans to initiate technical negotiations by the end of February next year, with a commitment to conclude them within four months. ・Somalia and Ethiopia are working to resolve tensions over the development of a port in Somaliland.

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