Friday, January 3, 2025 {HMC} — A high-level delegation from the Ethiopian government, led by Minister of Defense Aisha Mohammed, has paid an official working visit to Somalia.
During the visit, the delegation held productive discussions with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and conveyed a message from Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, according to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The talks reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to work together to ensure peace and stability in Somalia and the broader region.
“The two countries have agreed to collaborate on the AUSSOM operation and to strengthen bilateral relations. They also agreed to increase visits and exchanges of dialogue, with the expectation that senior Somali officials will soon visit Addis Ababa,” the statement from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Somali Minister of Defense, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama, expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by the Ethiopian Defense Forces and their contributions to ensuring peace in Somalia.
In her statement, Ethiopian Minister of Defense Engineer Asha Mohamed emphasized Ethiopia’s firm commitment to contributing to peace and stability in Somalia.
She also highlighted that countering terrorism is a critical part of the cooperation between the two countries.
Ethiopian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, underscored the importance of the partnership between Ethiopia and Somalia. He stressed that conflicts should not become an obstacle to the development plans of both nations.
Ambassador Mesganu further stated that there is a need for urgent action to address security challenges, while focusing on development and strengthening bilateral cooperation.
As of yet, there has been no official statement from the Somali government regarding the discussions held with the Ethiopian delegation or the outcomes of those talks.
