Somalia and Ethiopia will send their top diplomats to Ankara next week to discuss disagreements over a controversial port deal Addis Ababa signed with the breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year, according to Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday.

Türkiye is now mediating talks between the East African neighbors, whose ties became strained in January when Ethiopia agreed to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of coastline from Somaliland, in exchange for recognition of its independence.

Mogadishu called the agreement illegal and retaliated by expelling the Ethiopian ambassador and threatening to kick out thousands of Ethiopian troops stationed in the country helping battle Islamist insurgents.

Somali and Ethiopian foreign ministers met in Ankara last month along with Fidan to discuss their disagreements and agreed to hold another round of talks.

At a news conference in Istanbul, Fidan said a second round of talks between Somalia and Ethiopia will take place in Ankara next week.

Fidan's announcement came a week after he visited Addis Ababa and met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

"We discussed these issues with Prime Minister Abiy in detail," Fidan said.

"Tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia would come to an end with Ethiopia's access to the seas through Somalia as long as Ethiopia's recognition of Somalia's territorial integrity and political sovereignty is secured."

Türkiye has become a close ally of the Somali government in recent years. Ankara has built schools, hospitals and infrastructure and provided scholarships for Somalis to study in Türkiye.

In 2017, Türkiye opened its biggest overseas military base in Mogadishu. Earlier this year, Türkiye and Somalia signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement.

Ankara is also set to send navy support to Somali waters after the two countries agreed Ankara will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia to prospect for oil and gas.