In a significant move, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held discussions with top military officials, including Army Chief Brigadier General Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin, at the Ministry of Defense in Mogadishu. This assembly, also involving Navy and Air Force commanders and the Deputy Commander of the Somali Land Forces, occurred on Wednesday, as reported by state media.
The meeting focused on updates from the army commanders regarding current military operations against the militant group al-Shabab. This gathering was notably timed, following President Mohamud’s recent return from Eritrea and coinciding with a meeting in Addis Ababa between the army chiefs of Ethiopia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland.
The talks in Addis Ababa, primarily concerning military cooperation, come amidst growing apprehensions over a potential agreement granting Ethiopia a naval base on the Gulf of Aden. This development has raised alarms in Somalia, which asserts sovereignty over Somaliland. The Somali government has expressed its disapproval of the deal, deeming it an act of aggression, and has subsequently recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia for consultations.
The agreement, signed on January 1 by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somaliland leader Muse Bihi Abdi, has drawn international attention. Key global players, including the United States, Turkey, Djibouti, the European Union, and the African Union, have urged respect for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Amid these escalating tensions, particularly concerning the disputed port deal, President Mohamud revealed on Tuesday that Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki supports the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia. This statement underscores the complexity of regional dynamics and the delicate balance of power in the Horn of Africa.
