UAE expands military ties with Somaliland SL chief of staff meets UAE Chief of staff Al Mazrouei

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

UAE expands military ties with Somaliland as Somalia looks on

Thursday February 20, 2025

Somaliland’s military chief, Maj. Gen. Nim’an Yusuf Osman, meets with Lt. Gen. Eisa Saif Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces, to discuss military cooperation and security partnerships. 
 

Hargeisa (HOL) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Somaliland are deepening military and security cooperation as the Gulf state expands its influence in the Horn of Africa, a move that could further strain relations between Somalia’s federal government and Abu Dhabi.

Somaliland’s military chief, Maj. Gen. Nim’an Yusuf Osman, held talks in Abu Dhabi with Lt. Gen. Eisa Saif Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the UAE’s Chief of Staff, focusing on defence collaboration, military modernization, and security assistance.

According to a statement from Somaliland’s military, the discussions covered UAE support in training, military technology, and logistics to bolster Somaliland’s defence capabilities. The meeting coincided with Osman’s participation in an international defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi until February 23.

With access to the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea shipping lanes, Abu Dhabi has long been interested in expanding its military presence in Berbera, which could allow it to project power deeper into East Africa and counter rivals such as Turkey, which backs Mogadishu. Reports indicate that the UAE is seeking to establish a military base in the region, further solidifying its foothold in East Africa.

For Somaliland, deepening military ties with the UAE is about security and a broader push for international recognition. Since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has sought foreign partnerships to bolster its claim for statehood.

Somaliland’s President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has also taken two official trips to the UAE within the past month, reflecting the growing diplomatic and security ties between Hargeisa and Abu Dhabi. His most recent visit saw him participate in the World Government Summit, where regional security and governance were key topics.

Somalia’s federal government has consistently rejected foreign military deals with Somaliland, asserting that such agreements undermine Somalia’s territorial integrity.

The UAE’s military and economic footprint in Somaliland has been controversial since 2017 when Dubai-based DP World signed a deal to develop Berbera Port in a partnership that also involved Ethiopia. Somalia’s parliament denounced the agreement as illegal, declaring that all foreign investments must be negotiated through Mogadishu.

Tensions reached a boiling point in 2018 when Somali authorities seized $9.6 million from a UAE aircraft in Mogadishu, accusing Abu Dhabi of financing regional militias. In response, the UAE ended its military training program for Somalia’s national army, shifting its focus to direct security cooperation with Somaliland and Puntland.

The UAE’s growing role in Somaliland coincides with Ethiopia’s controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hargeisa, which includes potential Ethiopian naval access to Berbera. The agreement triggered a diplomatic crisis between Somalia and Ethiopia, further complicating regional alliances.


 

[Xaaji Xunjuf]