Somalia wants Ethiopia included in new African Union mission despite troop quota challenges

[Deeq A.]

Somalia is working to include Ethiopia in the troop quota for the African Union’s new mission in Somalia, the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Omar Balcad has announced.

While some progress has been made, he acknowledged ongoing challenges in securing Ethiopia’s participation due to already allocated troop quotas.

The main hurdle preventing Ethiopia’s involvement in AUSSOM was related to the MoU agreement. That issue has been resolved,” Balcad stated.

“The challenge now lies in the fact that most of the troop quotas have already been assigned, and there is little left to distribute. We are actively working to find a solution.”

This development follows a meeting in Addis Ababa between Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed where both leaders agreed to fully restore diplomatic ties.

Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU

Relations had soured earlier due to Ethiopia’s 2024 memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland which sought to grant Ethiopia access to the sea in exchange for recognising Somaliland’s sovereignty — an agreement Somalia firmly opposes.

A Somali delegation is scheduled to visit Ethiopia to finalise technical details, including troop numbers and ensure Ethiopia’s involvement aligns with Somalia’s national interests.

Balcad also confirmed that Ethiopia is expected to appoint an ambassador to Somalia, while Somalia’s ambassador to Ethiopia will soon officially assume duties, signalling renewed efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.

The African Union’s new peacekeeping mission in Somalia officially commenced operations on January 1, 2025, pledging to support the country’s stabilisation efforts and post-conflict recovery.

AUSSOM replaces the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), marking a critical phase in transferring national security responsibilities to Somali forces.

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Qaran News