Thousands of Somaliland soldiers have crossed the border and entered Ethiopia for specialized training, according to reports from Somaliland’s state media outlets.
The deployment of Somaliland troops to Ethiopia comes against the backdrop of a complex geopolitical landscape in the Horn of Africa, marked by strained relations between Ethiopia and Somalia, as well as the unresolved status of the self-declared state of Somaliland.
The transfer of Somaliland soldiers to Ethiopia for training follows the signing of a defense agreement between the two parties last month, just a week after they had concluded a broader Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering various areas of cooperation.
In January 2024, Somaliland’s Defense Chief of Staff, Major General Nuh Ismail, visited Ethiopia and held discussions with the Ethiopian Defense Chief of Staff, Field Marshal Berhanu Jula.
While the details of their meeting were not made public, it was reported that they had discussed “military cooperation” between the two countries.
The news of the Somaliland troop deployment comes at a time when the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has just concluded a two-day working visit to Eritrea, where he discussed strengthening cooperation, including the ongoing training of Somali soldiers by Eritrea.
Relations between Ethiopia and Somalia have been strained since Ethiopia signed the MoU with Somaliland in January 2024.
Somalia has claimed that its sovereignty was violated by this agreement and has been seeking political and military support against Ethiopia.
Somaliland, which has existed as a de facto independent state for over three decades, has firmly rejected Somalia’s position, including its order to close the Ethiopian consulate in Hargeisa.
Despite the tensions, efforts are underway to facilitate dialogue between Ethiopia and Somalia.
Turkey has initiated a mediation process, and on July 1st, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Taye Aske Selassie, met with his Somali counterpart, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, in Ankara. The two ministers are scheduled to meet again in September.
