Due to Ethiopia’s upset-the-apple-cart antics in the region, Mr. Osman divulged that Mogadishu had to delay pulling troops from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, shifting the date from July to September.
Atmis is set to wrap up its stint in the country by December 31 after a 17-year-long deployment.
Originally, the force was dispatched to oust the Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Shabab from Mogadishu and bolster the internationally acknowledged federal government.
Sanctioned by a UN mandate, the AU force aims to quash Al Shabab’s resurgence and beef up Somali security forces’ capabilities.
Harmonies between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu are turning sour due to a January pact between Ethiopia and North Western of Somalia, a self-proclaimed republic in northern Somalia.
Ethiopia pledged to formally recognize North Western of Somalia in trade for 20 km of Red Sea access, granting their naval forces a 50-year lease.
Soon after, the Arab League scrambled for a ministerial-level emergency meeting at Somalia’s plea, cementing that North Western of Somalia remains a bonafide fragment of Somalia and utterly rejecting the January deal.
North Western of Somalia parted ways with Somalia in 1991, yet lacks global acknowledgment despite its bid for independence, sitting plum near the Gulf of Aden and the southern entry to the Red Sea.
The Arab League urged Algeria, the only Arab representative on the UN Security Council, to “rally the necessary support to pass resolutions upholding Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial wholeness.”
The UN Secretary-General’s interim special envoy, James Swan, conveyed worries to the council over the deal, noting it’s “sparking unease in the Horn of Africa amid existing crises.”
“The Security Council has persistently validated respect for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Mr. Swan stated.
“I nudge Somalia and Ethiopia to address this issue harmoniously, in line with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity per the United Nations Charter and international law.”
The US’s No. 2 ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, expressed Washington’s deep apprehensions over the political friction between Ethiopia and Somalia and its detrimental effect on mutual security objectives.
“We echo the AU and global partners in reaffirming Somali sovereignty and territorial unity,” Mr. Wood stated.
“Diplomatic chit-chat is essential to cooling tensions, and that’s the sole path forward.”
On June 6, the UN General Assembly elected Somalia as a non-permanent Security Council member for 2025-2026, representing the East Africa region.
