Somalia's representative to the United Nations announced that his country's government has submitted an official request to the UN Security Council to exclude Ethiopian forces from the new security force (AUSSOM), proposing to replace them with Egyptian forces. He explained that the previous experience with the Ethiopian forces did not achieve the desired goals in combating the Al-Shabaab movement, and he also considered that its military presence on Somali territory constituted a violation of national sovereignty and raised internal political tensions.
Mogadishu confirmed that it has bilateral commitments with a number of countries to provide up to 11,000 soldiers for the upcoming security mission, stressing that the continued presence of Ethiopian forces in the south of the country was raising concerns related to sovereignty and complicating confidence-building efforts between the government and local communities.
On the other hand, Ethiopia demanded the withdrawal of any possible Egyptian forces from Somalia, considering that their participation in the security mission may lead to the complexity of the regional scene and increase tensions between the countries of the Horn of Africa. Addis Ababa believes that the introduction of Egyptian forces into Somali territory threatens the strategic balance in the region and increases the intensity of political differences between the countries concerned.
This controversy comes at a sensitive time when the Horn of Africa region is witnessing escalating security challenges, most notably the continued activity of Al-Shabaab, in addition to regional competition for political and military influence. It is expected that the discussion within the Security Council about the composition of the new force will constitute an important test of international and regional balances, amid increasing calls to ensure that the security mission is a tool for enhancing stability and not fueling conflicts.
This dispute indicates that Somalia has become a new arena for competition between Cairo and Addis Ababa, as Ethiopia views any Egyptian role in its immediate surroundings with concern, especially in light of the ongoing disputes over the Renaissance Dam file. On the other hand, Egypt believes that its participation in a security mission in Somalia strengthens its presence in the Horn of Africa and gives it additional pressure cards in the face of Ethiopian influence. This overlap would double the tensions between the two countries and make the AUSSOM mission a test not only of Somali security but also of regional relations between the major powers in the region.
