Ethiopia and Somalia are poised to enhance military collaboration in the battle against terrorism. A "Status of Force Agreement"is in the works for their respective forces operating in Somalia, as outlined in a joint communique.
This agreement comes on the heels of discussions between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Ababa, followed by further deliberations between the army chiefs of both nations in Mogadishu. Ethiopia played a pivotal role in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) from 2022 to 2024, which has since been succeeded by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) starting January 2025.
A delegation led by Birhanu Jula, the chief of staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), undertook a one-day working visit to Somalia. The Ethiopian delegation engaged in discussions with Somalia's officials, including Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, the Somali chief of defense force, focusing on bolstering bilateral cooperation in combating Al-Shabaab and upholding peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa.
The joint communique highlighted the endorsement of AUSSOM's inception by the military chiefs, emphasizing the imperative of building upon the accomplishments of its predecessor, ATMIS. Additionally, the chiefs emphasized the role of the Ethiopian National Defense Force in African Union peace support operations and reached an agreement on the deployment of the ENDF within AUSSOM.
Furthermore, they stressed the importance of providing adequate backing to the ongoing anti-Al-Shabaab endeavors and reiterated their dedication to collaborative counterterrorism efforts.