Diplomatic relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa have been at a critical point for several months. Somalia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, accuses Ethiopia of introducing troops into Somalia without prior authorization.
Osman claims that thousands of heavily armed Ethiopian soldiers crossed the Hiran administrative area through Mataban district. Due to the disruption caused by these forces, including unilateral actions and illegal border crossings, Somalia was forced to postpone the transition planned for September, he explained during a briefing to the UN Security Council. UN.
Regarding the planned withdrawal of 4,000 troops from the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) by the end of June, the ambassador warned of the potentially destabilizing repercussions for Somalia and the region in general. He urged Ethiopia to respect the UN Charter and the principles of good neighborliness, while urgently reassessing its military cooperation protocol.
The Ethiopian authorities have not yet reacted to the Somali statements. However, reports indicate that Ethiopian troops entered Somalia’s Hiran region on June 21, 2024 to monitor threats from Al-Shabaab, withdrawing the following day.
These incidents come as relations between the two countries have seriously deteriorated, particularly after the signing of an agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland. This agreement, which grants Ethiopia access to the sea for the rental of a military base, is controversial because the international community does not recognize Somaliland as an independent country, still considering it as an enclave of Somalia.
On May 31, Hussein Sheikh Ali, national security advisor to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, mentioned that Somalia was awaiting the departure of all Ethiopian troops from its territory. Currently, around 3,000 Ethiopian troops are stationed in Somalia as part of ATMIS, which is fighting Al-Shabaab, an Islamist militia controlling much of the country. Apart from this framework, many Ethiopian soldiers have been deployed in several Somali regions for years.
