Ethiopia backs new peacekeeping force in Somalia

Nairobi (AFP): Ethiopia on Friday announced that it will collaborate with a new African Union force against Islamist Al-Shabaab insurgents in Somalia, which is set to deploy later this month.

Mogadishu previously indicated that Ethiopian troops would not take part due to strained relations between the two countries, after the government in Addis Ababa signed a maritime agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland.

But after months of wrangling, the two countries last month agreed to end tensions in a compromise deal brokered by Turkey.

Ethiopian Defense Minister Aisha Mohammed led a high-level visit to Somalia on Thursday, meeting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and delivered a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“The discussions reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to work together to ensure peace and stability in Somalia and the region,” a statement from the Ethiopian foreign ministry read.

“The two countries agreed to collaborate on the AUSSOM mission and strengthen bilateral ties,” it added, referring to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia.

The United Nations Security Council gave its green light late last year to the creation of a new AU mission in Somalia.

Fourteen out of 15 council members adopted a resolution, with only the United States abstaining due to concerns about financing.

The peacekeeping force is intended to replace the UN-backed African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Until it was withdrawn on December 31, ATMIS could have up to 12,000 troops to counter the continued significant threat from Al-Shabaab.

Somalia and Ethiopia had been invited to take part in the UNSC meeting, without voting.

Somalia’s representative used the occasion to explain that bilateral agreements in November provided for the supply of some 11,000 troops to AUSSOM from partner countries.

The text adopted included the possibility of using a mechanism created by the UNSC the previous year for an AU force with UN backing and financed up to 75 percent by the world body.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar travelled to Addis Ababa last week to meet his Ethiopian counterpart Mesganu Arega, the day after deadly strikes in the border area of Doolow, to try to keep a fragile peace between the two countries.