Ethiopian forces will not be part of the African Union Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), set to launch in January 2025, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Noor confirmed.
This new mission will replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
Minister Noor stated that the Federal Government had decided to exclude the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) due to Ethiopia’s violations of Somalia’s independence and territorial integrity.
He emphasized that the decision reflects concerns over Ethiopia’s actions, which have strained relations between the two nations.
Somalia’s government is expected to soon reveal the countries contributing troops to AUSSOM. Egypt, which has also had contentious relations with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), is likely to be among the contributors.
Somalia’s own disputes with Ethiopia, including a controversial agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland in January 2024, further complicate the relationship.
Ethiopia has been part of AU peacekeeping missions in Somalia since joining the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in 2014, and currently operates in Sector 3, covering the Bay, Bakol, and Gedo regions.
Other countries contributing troops to ATMIS include Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda, and Burundi.
