Ethiopia's foreign affairs ministry has apologized for a map of Africa that erased neighboring Somalia.

Spokesman Nebiat Getachew said in a statement on Tuesday an investigation had begun into how the map was posted on the ministry's website over the weekend.

He said the map was removed immediately after it was noticed and that "we have sincerely regretted any confusion and misunderstanding this incident might have caused."

The inaccurate map incorporated all of Somalia into Ethiopia but showed Somalia's breakaway state of Somaliland.

The relationship between Somalia and Ethiopia has been historically shaky but relations appear to have improved in recent months after a reformist prime minister took office in Ethiopia in April of last year.