MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s federal government is seeking influence in selecting countries that will contribute their troops to an upcoming AU-led peacekeeping mission in the country, as Mogadishu appears hellbent on expelling Ethiopian forces and replacing them with a contingent of Egyptian peacekeepers.
Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, Somali ambassador to the UN Abukar Osman Bale echoed Mogadishu’s plans.
“While we welcome input for the next security arrangements post ATMIS from key partners, we also want to underscore the that the formation of the next mission should be guided by needs and aspirations of the Somali people represented by the FGS,” Bale told the meeting.
The Somali diplomat also accused Ethiopia of helping smuggle truckloads of weapons into Somalia last month that later ended up in the hands of clan militias in the central region of Galmudug.
In response, Ethiopian government urged the African Union and the United Nations to be ‘careful’ about post-ATMIS troop deployment in Somalia. Addis Ababa’s greatest concern is the potential deployment of Egyptian forces near its border amid tensions over its Grand Renaissance Dam that have yet to show any sign of abating despite multiple rounds of talks between Cairo and Addis Ababa.
Somalia’s National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh Ali previously told a local TV station that no Ethiopian troops will be present in the country by the end of 2024 if Addis Ababa does not cancel its controversial MoU with Somaliland.
Ethiopian troops who remain in the country after the expiry of their mission without consent from Mogadishu will be seen as invaders, he added.
Analysts have warned about the prospect of renewed geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa with Somalia becoming a battleground for competing Ethiopian and Egyptian interests. This could also weaken the effectiveness of the upcoming mission. The daunting task of bringing Al-Shabaab’s days to an end and stabilizing Somalia has eluded its forerunners, ATMIS and AMISOM, despite their extensive resources and substantial international backing.
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