MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was warmly welcomed by his Burundian counterpart, Évariste Ndayishimiye, upon his arrival in Bujumbura on Sunday.
During their meeting, Mohamud and Ndayishimiye discussed enhancing strategic security cooperation and promoting regional stability, reaffirming their commitment to advancing peace, security, and prosperity across the region.
Following his visit to Uganda the previous day, President Mohamud is now in Burundi as part of a tour of troop-contributing countries for the upcoming African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM. He expressed gratitude to Burundi for its sacrifices and significant contributions to the ongoing African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
Next, Mohamud plans to visit Kenya and Djibouti but will not go to Ethiopia. This exclusion stems from Ethiopia’s reluctance to revoke a controversial ‘sea-access-for-recognition’ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, according to his spokesperson, Abdulkadir Dige.
Ethiopia has expressed its willingness to maintain troops in Somalia as part of the AUSSOM mission. However, the Somali government has stated that this will not occur unless Ethiopia nullifies its MoU with Somaliland.
Regional experts note that Ethiopia faces a challenging situation, with a December 31 deadline from Somalia to revoke its MoU with Somaliland. Failure to meet this deadline could result in troop withdrawal and exclusion from the upcoming AU mission. Earlier this year, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed the MoU with Somaliland to secure sea access, prompting anger from Somalia. In response, Somalia invited Egypt to join the new AU mission and called for the removal of all Ethiopian troops.
Egypt accepted the invitation and has begun military buildup in Somalia, raising security concerns for Ethiopia amid ongoing Nile water disputes, further escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa.
In late August, Egypt started delivering military supplies to Somalia, with several convoys transporting weapons to the Ministry of Defense headquarters and nearby military bases in Mogadishu. Egypt is also set to deploy at least 10,000 troops to Somalia, a move that has sent shockwaves through Ethiopia, heightening concerns over regional rivalry.
Egypt has aligned itself with Somalia in its dispute with Ethiopia, particularly after signing a controversial MoU with Somaliland. This agreement grants Ethiopia access to a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) stretch of Red Sea coastline in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence, escalating tensions between the two nations.
Somalia views the MoU, signed in January, as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, resulting in a diplomatic rift that includes the expulsion of the Ethiopian ambassador from Mogadishu and threats to withdraw Ethiopian troops from Somalia.
In an interview, Somalia’s national security adviser, Hussein Moalim, reiterated that Somalia remains steadfast regarding Ethiopian forces’ involvement in the upcoming AUSSOM mission, following the expiration of the current AU mission in January 2025. Moalim stated that Somalia would not accept Ethiopian troops as part of the new mission unless they withdraw from the contentious MoU with Somaliland.
Ethiopia has firmly denied any links to Somalia’s allegations and rejected claims concerning the MoU signed with Somaliland. This situation carries substantial implications for regional stability, as Somalia and Ethiopia are in conflict over territorial issues.
