Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has reiterated Mogadishu’s stance that Ethiopia will not participate in the new African Union peacekeeping mission, the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), scheduled to begin in January 2025. This decision follows Ethiopia’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland, which Somalia considers a breach of its sovereignty. The upcoming AUSSOM mission, set to replace the current African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), aims to transition security responsibilities to Somali National Forces by 2028. For 17 years, AU forces, which Ethiopia has been a part of, have been crucial in combating al-Shabab insurgents. However, Somalia’s current stance is for Ethiopia to be excluded from future such engagements, unless Addis Ababa withdraws from its MoU with Somaliland. Meanwhile, Somalia has strengthened military ties with Egypt, with reports suggesting Cairo may contribute troops to AUSSOM.
SOURCE: VOA NEWS
