Prime Minister Barre Visits Baidoa to Bolster Federal-State Collaboration on Security and Development

Baidoa (AX) — On Wednesday, Somali Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre led a delegation to Baidoa to engage in discussions aimed at bolstering federal-state relations with Southwest regional leaders.

The Prime Minister and his team were received at the airport by Southwest state leader Abdiasis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen and several members of his administration.

“Prime Minister Barre’s visit is a concerted effort to fortify collaboration between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Southwest state. The focus will be on expediting the battle against the Khawarij, political matters, security concerns, and economic growth,” stated a release from PM Hamse’s office.

The dialogues between Prime Minister Barre and President Laftagareen will likely tackle divergent opinions about the planned withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia, particularly from the Southwest region.

States such as Southwest and Jubbaland have recently stood against the federal government’s decision to pull out Ethiopian forces when the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) concludes in December 2024. This pullback strategy has stirred controversy, with some regional states apprehensive about potential security lapses in their territories.

Back in June, Somalia’s National Security Adviser, Hussein Sheikh Ali, divulged that the federal government anticipates the exit of all Ethiopian troops by the close of the ATMIS mandate, with soldiers from other contributing nations staying under a new operation beginning January 2025.

Reports indicate that Ethiopian forces have seized essential airports in Somalia’s Gedo region, including those in Luuq, Dolow, and Bardhere. This follows mounting tensions over rumors that the Somali federal government plans to station Egyptian troops near the Ethiopian border.

The relations between Somalia’s federal government, Ethiopia, and North Western of Somaliahave encountered sparks, especially after Ethiopia’s contentious pact with North Western of Somaliafor Red Sea access, which Mogadishu claims infringes on its sovereignty.