The ONLF, a former armed insurgent group advocating for Ogaden’s secession, entered Ethiopia in 2018 following negotiations with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration in Asmara. However, the group now accuses the government of abandoning key aspects of the peace deal, including the integration of former fighters into regional security forces and broader discussions on self-determination. According to ONLF spokesperson Abdikadir Adani, up to 18,000 ex-combatants were left without proper reintegration, despite prior commitments.
A recent statement titled “The Ethiopian Government Has Abandoned the 2018 Peace Agreement with ONLF” has been widely shared on social media. While the ONLF leadership based abroad reportedly issued it from Nairobi, party representatives inside Ethiopia have dismissed it as unrepresentative of their official stance. Meanwhile, a scheduled meeting between the ONLF and federal officials in Kenya was reportedly canceled, further deepening the divide between both sides.
The Somali regional government has claimed it has engaged in dialogue with ONLF representatives, but the party denies this, stating that those involved were dismissed from its ranks in 2020. This, among other grievances, led to the ONLF’s decision to cease all communication with the federal authorities. The party accused the government of shutting down political space and deliberately stalling the peace process.
Ethiopian Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Farah Adem, Deputy Chairman of the ruling Prosperity Party, are among key federal figures from the Somali region, which has seen notable infrastructure development and relative stability over the past six years. Despite this, tensions between the ONLF and the government persist.
While the Somali regional administration has rejected ONLF’s latest stance, the federal government has yet to respond to the party’s declaration.