MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – A high-ranking Ethiopian delegation, led by Defense Minister Aisha Mohamed Muse and accompanied by the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, arrived in Mogadishu on Thursday for discussions with Somali government officials.
The delegation is set to explore the potential integration of Ethiopian forces, currently stationed in various regions across Somalia, into the African Union’s newly launched peacekeeping mission, AUSSOM, which became operational on Wednesday.
Ethiopia has long been a central contributor to previous African Union peacekeeping efforts—namely AMISOM and ATMIS—playing a pivotal role in combating the Al-Shabaab insurgency and securing key towns previously held by militants.
In June, Somali officials announced that all Ethiopian troops must depart by December 31 and would not be incorporated into the new AUSSOM mission. The decision was prompted by escalating tensions surrounding a maritime agreement, wherein Somaliland leased land along the Red Sea to Ethiopia for the construction of a naval base. Somali authorities demanded that Ethiopia retract the deal before the stipulated deadline if its forces were to remain in Somalia.
Recently, the two countries reached a mutual understanding in Ankara, reaffirming their commitment to respecting each other’s sovereignty. However, tensions resurfaced late last month when Ethiopia violated the agreement by attacking Somali security forces in the border town of Dolow, resulting in six fatalities and several soldiers being taken captive.
Addis Ababa seeks to leverage the accord as a means of gaining entry into the AUSSOM mission, while Mogadishu intends to use it as leverage to pressure Ethiopia into retracting its naval base agreement with Somaliland.
A particularly complex element of the AUSSOM mission is Egypt’s involvement, which raises concerns about Ethiopia’s participation, given their longstanding rivalry. Should Ethiopia be included, peacekeepers from these adversarial nations would serve side-by-side in a mission designed to stabilize Somalia—a country teetering on the edge of fragility. This development casts doubt on the mission’s future success and its ability to achieve its objectives.
