Ethiopia defence minister visits Somalia, in sign of diplomatic thaw
In another sign of closer relations between Ethiopia and Somalia following a Turkey-mediated deal agreed last month, Ethiopia’s defence minister visited the neighbouring state on December 2nd according to a senior official in Mogadishu.
The visit, reported on by Reuters, was the first bilateral visit since relations between the two collapsed after Ethiopia agreed to build a naval base in breakaway Somali region of Somaliland.
Ali Omar, state minister for foreign affairs on Somalia, confirmed the visit of Ethiopian defence minister Aisha Mohammed Mussa’s visit to Reuters but didn’t say what she was there to discuss, while Ethiopia’ spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Ethiopia has a long-term military presence in Somalia and currently has 10,000 troops there fighting the al-Shabab group, soldiers which Mogadishu threatened to expel if Ethiopia did not renounce its agreement to build the base in Somaliland.
The preliminary deal called for Somaliland to lease part of its coastline to make way for an Ethiopian naval base and commercial port. In turn, Ethiopia would recognise the independence of Somaliland.
Somaliland’s independence has not been recognised by any other country despite having effective autonomy since 1991.
Ethiopia’s military presence are part of an African Union peacekeeping mission that was recently extended. They are there to combat the al-Shabab group.
Al-Shabab is an al-Qaeda affiliate at war with Somalia’s government. The group came to prominence during Ethiopia’s invasion and occupation of Somalia between 2006 and 2009.
Reuters
