
Somalia has announced that obstacles preventing Ethiopia’s participation in the new African Union mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) have been resolved. This follows the resolution of issues related to Ethiopia’s controversial Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, the breakaway region of Somalia.
The MoU, which involved Ethiopia leasing part of Somaliland’s coastline for naval use in exchange for recognising Somaliland’s independence, had led Somalia to threaten expulsion of Ethiopian troops from the peacekeeping mission.
However, Somali Foreign Minister, Ali Omar Balcad, confirmed that these issues have been addressed, and a Somali delegation will visit Ethiopia on January 15 to finalise technical details of Ethiopia’s involvement in AUSSOM.
This development follows a visit by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Addis Ababa, where he met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Both leaders agreed to restore full diplomatic ties, which were strained over the MoU quoted.
In a joint statement, they pledged to enhance bilateral relations and emphasised the importance of regional stability through cooperation. The resolution of tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia was aided by Turkish mediation. Meanwhile, Egypt expressed concern over Ethiopia’s growing influence in the region, particularly regarding the Red Sea, where Egypt opposes military presence by non-bordering countries. Somalia has reiterated its stance on maintaining independent relations with both Egypt and Ethiopia, ensuring that one does not harm the other.