Somalia has issued a warning to potentially expel thousands of Ethiopian troops currently stationed in the country by the year’s end unless Addis Ababa cancels a contentious port deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland.
A high-ranking Somali official made this announcement on Monday, underscoring the mounting tensions between the neighboring nations.
Presently, approximately 3,000 Ethiopian soldiers are deployed in Somalia as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM), aimed at combating the militant group al-Shabaab. Additionally, an estimated 5,000-7,000 Ethiopian troops are stationed in various Somali regions under a bilateral agreement between the two countries.
Relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa soured earlier this year when Ethiopia decided to lease 20 kilometers of coastline from Somaliland, a region in the Horn of Africa lacking international recognition despite its claims of independence and autonomous status since 1991.
Ethiopia proposed potential recognition for Somaliland in exchange for the establishment of a naval base and commercial port—an action deemed illegal by Mogadishu.
Somalia’s national security adviser, Hussein Sheikh-Ali, cautioned that unless Ethiopia rescinds the agreement before the end of June or when the new mandate of the peacekeeping mission is determined, all Ethiopian troops, including those from AMISOM and bilateral agreements, will be requested to leave Somalia.
Sheikh Ali emphasised that Somalia cannot consider Ethiopia an ally while it pursues actions seen as aggressive by Somalia.
He stated, “If they do not annul the agreement before the end of June or when the new mission mandate is decided, all Ethiopian troops, both AMISOM and bilateral, will need to depart. Ethiopia cannot be regarded as an ally while simultaneously acting as an aggressor.”
Despite the Somali government’s appeals to slow the withdrawal of peacekeeping troops, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is slated to fully withdraw and transfer security responsibilities to the Somali state by the end of 2024.
Somalia has called for the announcement of a new, smaller peacekeeping mission by the end of June, excluding Ethiopian troops. The troops currently comprise forces from Burundi, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
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