Addis Abeba – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Djibouti on Sunday, October 20, 2024, as part of his ongoing regional tour aimed at reinforcing ties with countries contributing troops to Somalia’s peacekeeping mission.
Upon arrival, President Mohamud was greeted by Djibouti’s Prime Minister, Abdikadir Kamil Mohamed, along with other senior officials. The Somali National News Agency (Sonna) reports that during his visit, President Mohamud is scheduled to meet with Djiboutian President Ismael Omar Guelleh to discuss “strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation.”
Djibouti is the latest stop in President Mohamud’s regional diplomatic tour, which has already included visits to Burundi and Uganda.
earlier that day, he met with Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye in Bujumbura, where the two leaders discussed enhancing “strategic security cooperation” and fostering “regional stability.”
President Mohamud also expressed his appreciation for Burundi’s contributions to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), acknowledging the “sacrifices made by Burundian forces” in Somalia’s peace.
Earlier in his tour, on October 19, 2024, President Mohamud visited Uganda, a key contributor to ATMIS since 2007. During his meeting with President Yoweri Museveni, the two leaders praised the joint efforts of ATMIS and Somali security forces in “pacifying the country and combating Al-Shabaab,” according to a statement from Uganda’s Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo.
They also emphasized the importance of securing “sustainable and predictable funding” for the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which is set to succeed ATMIS.
Presidential spokesperson Abdulkadir Dige confirmed that this regional tour encompasses visits to four troop-contributing countries. However, he clarified that Ethiopia would not be part of the itinerary, stating, “The president will not visit Ethiopia.”
The exclusion of Ethiopia from the tour comes in the wake of recent diplomatic tensions. Earlier this year, Somalia announced that Ethiopia “will not be part of the AU-led forces” set to replace ATMIS. This decision followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland in January 2024.
The situation further escalated when Egypt sent military personnel and arms shipments to Mogadishu, prompting Ethiopia to express concern over the transition from ATMIS, describing it as “fraught with dangers” for the region.
In response to these developments, Somalia held a tripartite summit in Asmara with Egypt and Eritrea, where they agreed on measures to enhance Somalia’s “capacity to protect its land and sea borders.”
Despite these tensions, last week saw a meeting of Defense Ministers from Ethiopia and other Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to ATMIS in Addis Abeba. According to a communiqué issued after the meeting, the ministers expressed their “willingness and readiness” to continue their peacekeeping efforts in Somalia under a new mission. AS
