Laftagaren Set to Participate in NCC Assembly in Mogadishu Following Accord Between Federal Government and South West State

Baidoa (AX) — The Somali Federal Government and the South West State have struck a tentative deal to cool down the intensifying friction regarding Ethiopian troops’ presence. The conflict has been heating up, causing fears of greater instability. Both parties have vowed to dial down the heated remarks and will reconvene for more talks at the National Consultative Council meeting in Mogadishu later this month.

General Mahad Abdirahman Adan, who heads the Somali Correctional Forces, traveled to Baidoa to spearhead the peace talks. He and his team spent two days negotiating with South West State’s President Abdiaziz Laftagareen. The discussions managed to iron out the major differences, with commitments from both sides to seek lasting resolutions.

General Mahad and his team engaged in extensive discussions with President Laftagareen, culminating in what insiders describe as a mutual understanding.

President Laftagareen has consented to participate in the upcoming National Consultative Council meeting in Mogadishu scheduled for September 25. Trustworthy sources suggest additional talks with Federal Government leaders during his time in the capital.

Earlier in the month, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre visited Baidoa, holding discussions with Laftagareen on a range of issues, including the planned pullout of Ethiopian troops by late 2024.

Flights between Mogadishu and Baidoa were briefly grounded on Tuesday morning, although the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) denied any official disruptions in the regular flight schedule.

The tensions with Ethiopia have been simmering, rooted in Ethiopia’s contentious Memorandum of Understanding with North Western State of Somalia. The arrangement grants Ethiopia access to North Western State of Somalia’s Red Sea coastline, a move the Somali Federal Government condemns as an affront to its sovereignty. Consequently, Somalia plans to shut out Ethiopian troops from the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), slated to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) by 2025.

Earlier this month, protests erupted in the Bakool region of South West State, where local officials and residents backed the Ethiopian forces. However, lawmakers in the South West State are split; some favor the Ethiopian presence, while others side with the Federal Government’s intention to replace them with Egyptian forces. Egypt’s increasing influence in Somalia, underscored by a recent defense agreement with the Somali government, adds another layer to the friction.

Both South West and Jubbaland states have openly resisted the Federal Government’s plan to withdraw Ethiopian troops by the end of 2024, citing fears of a security vacuum. Currently, Ethiopian forces are stationed in pivotal areas across South West State, including the Bakool and Gedo regions.

Somalia’s Defence Minister, Abdulkadir Mohamed Noor, has cautioned against aligning too closely with Ethiopia, recalling the historical adversarial role Ethiopia has played in Somali affairs.

Security experts warn that Somalia’s entanglement in the burgeoning Egypt-Ethiopia rivalry, particularly over the Nile River and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), might further inflame regional tensions.