Addis Abeba– Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to strengthen cooperation and ensure the “success of the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM)” following a high-level visit on Thursday led by Ethiopian Defense Minister Aisha Mohammed, according to Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry stated that the delegation held “fruitful discussions” with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The talks emphasized the commitment of both countries to “work together to ensure peace and stability in Somalia and the region,” the Ministry reported.
These discussions follow the Ankara Declaration, mediated in Ankara by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, involving Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to ease tensions between the countries that were triggered by Ethiopia’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland in January 2024.
The Declaration was further reinforced by a recent high-level delegation from Somalia, led by Ali Omar, Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
In its statement, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that Ethiopia and Somalia agreed to “collaborate on the AUSSOM mission and strengthen bilateral relations” through increased exchanges. Senior Somali officials are expected to visit Addis Abeba soon as part of these efforts.
Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama, Somalia’s Defense Minister, expressed “appreciation and gratitude for the Ethiopian Defense Forces’ sacrifices and contributions to ensuring peace in Somalia,” according to the Ministry.
Ambassador Mesganu Arga, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that “peace in Somalia directly impacts Ethiopia” and stressed the importance of ensuring conflicts “do not hinder the development agendas of both countries.” He added that addressing security challenges promptly would enable both nations to “focus on development by enhancing cooperation.”
Somalia had previously stated that Ethiopia “will not be part of the AU-led forces” replacing ATMIS following Ethiopia’s signing of an MoU with Somaliland. Somalia also deepened its alliance with Egypt, signing a military cooperation agreement that resulted in Egyptian troops and arms shipments being deployed to Somalia.
During the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote on transitioning from ATMIS to AUSSOM, Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma, Ethiopia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, criticized “extra-regional actors that have no constructive role in the region.”
Mohamed Rabi Yusuf, Somalia’s permanent representative, on the other hand, said, “Due to documented actions of Ethiopia in Somalia, for the past 11 months, the federal government of Somalia has undertaken a comprehensive review of its security arrangements as we transition from ATMIS to the new mission AUSSOM.” AS
