Abiy Ahmed: Farmajo’s accomplice?
NAIROBI, Kenya – For decades, unity in the Horn of Africa has been a major concern across the world, with persistent conflicts, terrorism and general political instability being some of the shortcomings that have prevented the region from making progress on the continent. the socio-economic plan.
But in recent years, this approach seems to have changed considerably, following cooperation between Abiy Ahmed, Isaias Afwerki and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who has been in charge for four years.
While the partnership has been anchored largely on a developmental basis, critics have often attacked the three, accusing them of being dictators, with little respect for the rule of law. Ethiopia and Somalia are particularly in turmoil.
In recent months, Abiy Ahmed has fought against ethnic cleansing in addition to the Tigray War, which has significantly damaged his reputation as a nationalist. Thousands of people reportedly killed in Tigray region by Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] with the help of Eritrean troops.
Over the weekend, Farmajo was one of the region’s first leaders to congratulate Abiy Ahmed, after the Prosperity Party’s landslide victory in parliamentary polls. The party won 410 of 436 seats in an election largely boycotted by the opposition.
“I warmly congratulate Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for having regained a strong mandate with the Ethiopian people,” he wrote. “Somalia will continue to work with its government to further strengthen our bilateral relations for the benefit of our two peoples and the region as a whole. I wish you every success, Prime Minister.”
The Tigray region and parts of Amhara and the Somali region did not make it to the elections due to insecurity issues caused by ethnic cleansing and the recent war in the north where Farmajo was accused of having plotted to “exterminate” the Tigrayans.
Somali soldiers in Tigray
The relationship between the two leaders has blossomed dramatically into what analysts call “dangerous” cooperation at the Horn. At home, Farmajo is fighting for re-election after his term expires on February 8 of this year.
As part of broader plans to strengthen the Somali National Army [SNA]Afwerki offered to train nearly 5,000 young soldiers, which sparked a heated political debate in Somalia. The soldiers were expelled from the country in 2019 on the pretext that they are being taken to Qatar.
In Asmara, several sources, including the UN special rapporteur, suggested that they had been sneaked into Tigray where they allegedly took part in the war that claimed thousands of lives. While the Somali government claims they are not found anywhere in Tigray, evidence provided by locals has proven otherwise.
For example, a statement by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray [TPLF] otherwise known as the Tigray Defense Forces [TDF] accused Somali troops of participating in the Tigray War, adding that more evidence will soon be provided.
According to the TPLF, a number of Somali soldiers have been captured and are now being held. They are located in Eritrea where they were drawn into a clandestine mission which has since been denounced by the media.
The United States recently demanded to know the role played by Eritrean and Somali soldiers in the Tigray War, in a series of questions filed against the State Department. The Tigray region has been at odds with Abiy Ahmed for two years.
Ethiopian interference in Somalia
Since Abiy Ahmed took power in 2018, Ethiopian troops have often been accused of running the show in Somalia, with the federal government in Mogadishu giving them free will to make decisions on different issues.
For example, Ethiopian troops were directly involved in clashes that left 11 dead in Baidoa, where the federal government was keen to prevent former deputy al-Shabaab chief Mukhtar Robow from running for president of the Southwest. .
Supporters of Robow were killed by Ethiopian troops, who then arrested this former al-Shabaab commander. Robow is currently under house arrest and there have been calls to release him from house arrest, with the former commander now going on a “hunger strike”.
In addition, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] were directly linked to Farmajo’s efforts to gain full control of the Gedo region, which is under Jubaland authorities. The AMISOM team confirmed last year that the non-Amisom contingent of the ENDF is on a charm offensive to help Farmajo reclaim the region in 2020.
Among other things, the ENDF has been accused of arresting local administrators loyal to President Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe, who is a chief critic of Farmajo. Currently, Prime Minister Mohamed Roble has been tasked with helping coordinate polls in the Gedo region after local leaders expressed reservations for Farmajo.
In 2019, Getachew Rada, the spokesperson for the TPLF, claimed that Ethiopian soldiers were keen to overthrow Madobe in the elections held in August. However, acting on intelligence, the Jubaland security forces and those of the Kenya defense forces [KDF] prevented an Ethiopian plane carrying mercenaries from landing in Kismayo.
Ethiopia’s interference has often seen Jubaland write to the African Union, the United Nations among other stakeholders, seeking answers. Mogadishu and Addis Ababa have often denied these allegations.
AXADLETM
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