Ethiopian troops approved for AU Somalia mission after tension-easing visit

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The Ethiopian troops were allowed to be part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), despite the resistance witnessed in the last 12 months, following a controversial agreement signed between Addis Ababa and Hargeisa.

On Thursday, Ethiopia's defense minister traveled to Somalia, becoming the first senior official from Addis Ababa to visit the Horn of Africa nation after tensions over the planned construction of a naval base along the Red Sea without express permission from Somalia.

Somalia's state minister for foreign affairs, Ali Omar, confirmed Aisha Mohammed Mussa's visit in a message to Reuters but did not say what she was there to discuss.

But in a post on social media platforms, Ethiopia's Foreign Affairs ministry said the two countries had "agreed to collaborate on the AUSSOM (African Union peacekeeping) mission and strengthen bilateral relations."

For the last two decades, Ethiopia has actively stayed in Somalia, donating up to 10,000 soldiers who have been fighting the Al-Shabab militants. However, Somalia had insisted on expelling them should Ethiopia fail to renounce the agreement with Somaliland.

The preliminary deal called for Somaliland to lease a stretch of coastline for an Ethiopian naval base and commercial port in exchange for possible recognition of Somaliland's independence.

But a meeting brokered by Turkey eased tensions last month, with both countries agreeing to respect their sovereignty and territorial integrity. A technical committee is working on the best formula that would benefit Ethiopia and Somalia, commercially.

So severe was the animosity between the two countries, with experts predicting the possibility of Al-Shabaab resurgence which would affect the gains made in the al-Shabaab war. The al-Shabaab group is still dominant in Somalia.

GAROWE ONLINE