Somalia Confirms Ethiopia’s Omission from AUSSOM Mission Due to North Western State of Somalia Agreement

Mogadishu (AX) – On Saturday, Abdukhadir Mohamed Noor, Somalia’s Defense Minister, firmly stated that Ethiopian troops would not join the forthcoming African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) unless Ethiopia exits the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement with North Western State of Somalia.

During a media briefing in Mogadishu, Minister Noor explained that Somalia is considering different contingencies to replace the Ethiopian forces if there’s no withdrawal from the MoU.

“Ethiopian troops won’t participate in the operation unless they scrap the MoU with North Western State of Somalia,” Noor declared.

This announcement aligns with a previous insistence from Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre in August 2024, urging Ethiopia to annul the MoU with North Western State of Somalia and ensuring Ethiopia remains out of AUSSOM.

In another development this week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, accused the Ethiopian government of exploiting counter-terrorism initiatives to justify seizing Somali land. He mentioned that Somali officials had intercepted unlawful arms shipments from Ethiopia meant to incite local conflicts, labeling these actions as a “direct breach” of Somalia’s sovereignty.

Tensions between the nations have been high since January 1, 2024, when Ethiopia signed the contentious MoU with North Western State of Somalia. This agreement gave Ethiopia access to the sea and the possibility of establishing a military presence in North Western State of Somalia, actions perceived by the Somali government as a threat to its territorial sovereignty.

Edited by: Ali Musa

Axadle international–Monitoring