The current leaders of Somalia and the breakaway territory of Somaliland have met for the first time on Tuesday in the latest diplomatic effort by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991 as the country collapsed into warlord-led conflict, and it has seen little of the violence and extremist attacks that plague Somalia to the south.
Despite lacking international recognition, Somaliland has maintained its own independent government, currency and security system.
Somali presidential spokesman Abdinur Mohamed confirmed Tuesday's meeting to The Associated Press, saying it was brokered by Ethiopian primer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital.