Part of the weapons seized local militia in Somalia. Pictures: The daily Somalia.
Addis Abeba – Ethiopia has expressed its dismay over “the unwanted and irresponsible statements made by senior officials of the federal government of Somalia on various occasions attempting to deny the critical role of Ethiopia in helping to rebuild the state of Somalia.”
In a statement released today, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said Ethiopia is “following the repeated provocative statements by the government of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”
“Contrary to the baseless accusations of the government of Somalia, Ethiopia has rather been sacrificing in the service of peace And stability of the brotherly people of Somalia for more than three decades,” the Ministry said.
It further asserted that “bearing in mind its strong conviction for regional interdependence, cultural ties and historic relationships cemented with blood and sweat, Ethiopia did not choose to respond to the baseless accusations of the authorities in Somalia. Ethiopia rather preferred the path of patience and positive engagement for the common good of our peoples.”
Last week, local militias seized two truckloads of weapons from government forces in the village of Shiilamaow, about 20 kilometers northwest of Abudwak town, close to the Ethiopian border. The weapons included “DshK and PKM machine guns, AK-47 assault rifles, pistols, and ammunition.” The incident resulted in the death of 12 people, including two soldiers.
Somali officials have made several statements claiming the weapons were illegally brought over the border from Ethiopia.
The statement today said that Ethiopia is “deeply concerned about the proliferation of trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the horn of Africa . As the region is challenged by ongoing conflict and unchecked coastal lines as well as unsecured borders, It is imperative for countries of the region to coordinate their efforts in fighting such crimes.”
In the wake of the incident, the government of Somaliland has called on the United Nations (UN) and the international community “to urgently re-evaluate their decision to lift the arms embargo” on Somalia.
Similarly, the Minister of Interior of Puntland region of Somalia said “lifting the arms embargo for Somalia was a big mistake because the country is divided and fragmented,”
Ethiopia was among the countries that advocated for the lifting of the three-decades arms embargo. Following a two-day official visit in September 2023 to Addis Abeba by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Ethiopia officially joined Somalia and and other countries and called upon the UN Security Council (UNSC) “to consider the request of the Federal Governments of Somalia for the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on the country for more than 30 years.”
The UN Security Council (UNSC) subsequently lifted the arms embargo on Somalia in December of the same year after 31 years. Somalia welcomed the decision and said it would enable its security forces to effectively tackle security threats including from Al-Shabaab militants.
Diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Somalia are souring after Somalia’s rejection of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland earlier in January.
The foreign ministers of both countries are scheduled to engage in a second round of talks in Ankara, Türkiye on 02 September this year after both were engaged in “candid and forward-looking exchanges concerning their differences, with Türkiye acting as a mediator” earlier this month. AS
