Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia is keeping its distance from the mounting dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, warning that renewed fighting in northern Ethiopia could undermine security and economic stability throughout the Horn of Africa.
Somali Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Mohamed Ali Nadaar told the BBC Somali Service on Monday that Mogadishu maintains positive relations with both countries and has no intention of becoming involved in their confrontation.
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“Somalia is closely monitoring regional developments while prioritizing its national interests and avoiding diplomatic conflicts between neighboring states,” he added.
The latest tensions escalated after Ethiopia accused Eritrea of backing armed groups opposing the federal government, particularly in the Tigray region. Eritrea has repeatedly rejected the claims.
Ethiopia and Eritrea have traded accusations of aggression at the United Nations, fueling fears that hostilities could return to the Horn of Africa as violence grows in northern Ethiopia.
The diplomatic standoff comes as Ethiopian forces and allied armed groups push through Tigray. Eritrean troops have allegedly crossed the border to assist rebels fighting government forces.
The neighboring countries fought a deadly border war between 1998 and 2000, then later became allies during Ethiopia’s 2020-2022 war in Tigray.
Their relationship has again deteriorated over the 2022 peace agreement that ended the conflict between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray forces, along with Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to the Red Sea.
Questions about Somalia’s neutrality emerged after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud joined the leaders of Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan at a four-way summit in El Alamein, Egypt.
Security analyst Ahmed Kabole questioned whether Somalia’s conduct matches its stated neutral position, while scholar Liban Igal called on Mogadishu to steer clear of competing regional alliances.
The Ethiopia-Eritrea dispute is unfolding as the Horn of Africa contends with simultaneous security and political crises, intensifying concerns that renewed fighting could spread beyond the two countries’ borders.
