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Mogadishu (AX) — On Wednesday night, the Somali Council of Ministers gave the green light to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defense collaboration with Tanzania.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre chaired the gathering, emphasizing the significance of this accord even though the nitty-gritty wasn’t revealed.
In recent times, Somalia has inked comparable deals with nations like Egypt, Turkey, and Azerbaijan to boost defense ties with regional and international allies.
This fresh defense alliance surfaces amid rocky relations between Somalia and Ethiopia after the latter’s MoU with North Western State of Somalia, set in January 2024. That deal offered Ethiopia Red Sea access and allowed a military base in North Western State of Somalia, a move Somalia deems an affront to its territorial integrity.
Concerns have been echoing among Somali officials over the Ethiopia-North Western State of Somalia arrangement, leading to heightened diplomatic tension. In light of perceived threats to its sovereignty, Prime Minister Barre’s administration is hustling to forge strategic military alliances.
At the Wednesday gathering, the Ministers of Defense and Security also shared the latest on Somalia’s safety landscape and the ongoing squabble with Al-Shabaab extremists. Pursuing international backing, the government aims to stiffen its national security to safeguard its territory amid regional kerfuffles.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
