The Somali government has decided that Ethiopian forces will not join the upcoming African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), set to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in January 2025. Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama announced the exclusion during an interview, citing Ethiopia’s alleged breaches of Somalia’s sovereignty as the reason for this decision.
According to Minister Jama, Ethiopia has been barred from AUSSOM due to its recent actions that Somalia views as an infringement on its territorial integrity. The tension stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland in early 2024, allowing Ethiopia potential sea access in exchange for support for Somaliland’s self-determination—a move Somalia has fiercely opposed.
The decision underscores Somalia’s insistence that Ethiopian forces can only participate in future African Union missions if Addis Ababa retracts its agreement with Somaliland. Currently, Ethiopia has about 3,000 troops under ATMIS and an additional 5,000-7,000 troops deployed through a bilateral arrangement. Last month, Somali leaders warned that Ethiopia had one month to revoke the agreement with Somaliland. The exclusion of Ethiopian forces from AUSSOM could heighten regional tensions, potentially impacting the collective fight against Alshabab militants, as Ethiopia has been a major contributor to the AU’s peacekeeping forces in Somalia.
