Somalia Bars Ethiopia from New AU Mission, Citing Sovereignty Violations

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia's Defense Ministry announced on Friday that Ethiopia will not participate in the upcoming African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), set to commence in January 2025.

The decision announced at a critical time in the Horn of Africa region, which faces the Al-Shabaab threat stems from Ethiopia's alleged violations of Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity after PM Abiy Ahmed reached an MoU for Red Sea access with Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi in January this year. 

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which Ethiopia has been part of, is scheduled to conclude its operations by the end of December 2024. AUSSOM, the new mission, aims to support Somali forces in maintaining security as ATMIS wraps up its mandate.

The exclusion of Ethiopian troops from AUSSOM reflects ongoing tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, particularly following Ethiopia's controversial agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland. The MoU has been viewed by Somalia as an infringement on its national integrity, prompting diplomatic friction between the two neighboring countries.

Critics of Ethiopia's exclusion argue that the move might undermine regional security cooperation at a time when Somalia still faces threats from groups like al-Shabaab and ISIS-linked militants based in the northeast of the country.

However, Somalia insists on upholding its sovereignty, with official statements indicating that any Ethiopian military presence post-ATMIS would not be under the AU mandate. The tension in the region worsened after Egypt signed a defense deal with Somalia in August this year and sent weapons to Mogadishu.

Egypt's rivalry with Ethiopia over the Nile dam is feared to cause war in Somalia, as Cairo wants to send combat forces to the country, where Ethiopian troops have a large presence, and control key border regions.

The Somali government is now coordinating with other African Union member states, including Egypt and Djibouti, to ensure the new mission's effectiveness without Ethiopian involvement. This shift in military cooperation dynamics in the Horn of Africa could have broader implications for regional stability and the fight against insurgency.

GAROWE ONLINE