Mogadishu announced Egypt’s upcoming participation in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, targeted at eradicating Al-Shabaab (Bloomberg)
Cairo affirmed its commitment to eliminating the terrorist organization and upgraded the relationship to a bilateral strategic partnership, which aims to deepen economic and developmental cooperation with Mogadishu (Anadolu Ajansi)
Turkey Brokers Pledge Between Ethiopia, Somalia to Resolve Port Dispute
Ethiopia and Somalia will begin technical negotiations to resolve outstanding disputes by the end of February, according to a Turkey-issued declaration; the countries have been at odds over Ethiopia’s agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland on a port access deal (Reuters)
Leaders of Ethiopia, Somalia Agree to Meet in Ankara for the First Time Since Controversial Port Deal Dispute
Ethiopian officials did not immediately confirm the meeting; the deal would allow Ethiopia to use a port in the breakaway territory of Somaliland, which Somalia does not recognize (VOA)
Somalia Accuses Ethiopia of Domestic Interference
Somalian officials reported that Ethiopian armed forces were apprehended by “local communities and the armed forces” while en route to the Bulohawo district; the confrontation follows the re-election of former warlord Ahmed Madobe, who remains politically at odds with the Somalian central government (AFP)
At Least Seven Dead in Mogadishu Suicide Bombing
The suspected Al-Shabaab attack occurred in front of a cafe near the Somalian national police academy’s headquarters; the blast took place on the same day as the United Nations Under-Secretary General’s meeting with President Mohamud in Mogadishu (VOA)
Somalia Accepts Egyptian Peacekeeping Offer
Egypt is set to deploy troops to Somalia following the disbandment of the current African Union stabilization forces in the region; the initiative, called the African Union Mission to Support Stabilization in Somalia (AUSSOM), gives Somalia full authority to decide the “composition, tasks, and deployment timeline” for AUSSOM forces (AP)
Somalia, Eritrea, and Egypt Strengthen Security Partnership
The three countries met at a summit summoned by Eritrean President Isais Afwerki to discuss al-Shabaab security concerns; the governments pledged to cooperate in combatting “terrorism in all of its forms” in the Horn of Africa (Al Jazeera)
Six Dead in Bomb Attack
Six Somalians were killed in two separate bombing attacks suspected to be orchestrated by al Shabaab; a car bomb in Mogadishu killed five and injured seven, while an explosion at a livestock market in Jowhar left one dead and three injured (Reuters)
Egypt Delivers Second Arms Shipment In a Month to Somalia
Egypt has drawn closer to Somalia over Somalia’s tensions with its neighbor Ethiopia over a controversial port access deal; Ethiopia’s foreign minister voiced concerns yesterday that the weapons could land in the hands of militants (BBC)
Al-Shabaab Militants Attempted to Storm Three Army Bases, Repelled by State Security Forces
Somalia’s army said more than 130 militants were killed and eighty others were wounded, while al-Shabaab said it killed over seventy members of the security forces (The National)
Those figures could not be immediately independently verified (VOA)
Turkey Holds Mediation Talks Between Ethiopia and Somalia Over Controversial Port Deal
Addis Ababa signed the controversial port deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year; Turkey’s foreign minister announced the talks, but the other countries did not immediately comment (Reuters)
Reuters: Somalia Seeks to Delay Withdrawal of African Union Peacekeepers
The ongoing scale-down was put in motion at Mogadishu’s request, but the Somali government has asked for a more gradual pullout over concerns that al-Shabaab militants could fill a security vacuum, according to a letter seen by Reuters; the letter asked for two thousand troops, due to depart by the end of June, to remain until September (Reuters)
WHO and Japan Pledge to Support Nine Hundred Thousand in Somalia With New Project
A new project supported by the WHO and the Government of Japan will aim to reach nearly nine hundred thousand drought-afflicted Somalis with life-saving interventions in regions affected by climate change, droughts, and floods (WHO)
U.S. Intelligence Indicates Partnership Between Yemeni Houthis and Al-Shabaab
The United States gained intelligence that Houthi rebels in Yemen are in talks to provide weapons to Al-Shabaab in Somalia, a partnership that U.S. officials warn would pose new threats to peace efforts in the region (CNN)
Clash in Central Somalia Kills 55, Injures 155
A clash between the Dir and Marihan clans in central Somalia killed at least 55 people and injured another 155; a security advisor in the region indicated that the local government suspects Al-Shabaab was involved in instigating the conflict (Reuters)
Somalia Will Expel Over Three Thousand Ethiopian Peacekeepers If Somaliland Port Deal is Not Resolved
Somalia objects to Ethiopia’s plans for a port deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland, Somalia’s national security advisor told Reuters; the troops are stationed as part of an African Union mission against the insurgent group al-Shabaab (Reuters)
Somalia Calls for Termination of UN Mission
The government called for the end of a more than decade-long UN political mission when its mandate expires in October, Somalia’s foreign minister wrote to the UN Security Council; the mission had been advising Somalia on peacebuilding, security reforms, and democracy (Reuters)
A separate African Union peacekeeping mission is due to withdraw from Somalia by the end of the year (VOA)
Somalia Orders Expulsion of Ethiopia’s Ambassador and Closure of Two Ethiopian Consulates
The order was made after the semiautonomous state of Puntland announced a cooperation deal with Ethiopia earlier this week; tensions have been high between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu since Ethiopia inked plans for a port with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland earlier this year (VOA)
Somalian Semiautonomous Region Says It Withdraws From Federal Government
Authorities in the Puntland region said that it would govern itself independently in response to constitutional changes in Somalia that strengthen the power of the executive branch; Puntland officials said they were not consulted on the changes (VOA)
Security Forces “Neutralize” Mogadishu Hotel Attackers
Militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack on a popular hotel in the capital, Mogadishu, last night, while the Somali government did not immediately comment; the hotel is known for hosting government officials (Reuters)
U.S. Treasury Department Announces New Sanctions on Financial Network Funding Al-Shabaab
The move targets sixteen entities and individuals across Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, and the Horn of Africa (Reuters)
Bloomberg: Ethiopia Weighs Discarding Plan to Recognize Somaliland
Appeals from nearby countries including Kenya have prompted Ethiopian officials to consider scrapping plans to recognize Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland in exchange for port access to the Red Sea; Kenyan President William Ruto held talks last week on the matter with both Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Bloomberg)
Somalia, Turkey Announce Defense Deal
The deal commits Turkey to training and supporting Somalia’s navy and protecting it against “foreign interference;” the deal appears aimed at deterring Ethiopian efforts to partner with the breakaway region of Somaliland to gain access to the Gulf of Aden (AP)
Somalia has said it is prepared to go to war over the January agreement between Ethiopia and Somaliland, as it considers Somaliland part of its territory (Al Jazeera)
Somalia Accuses Ethiopia of Annexation Attempts
Somali President Hassan Sheikh said that Ethiopia’s controversial port access deal with Somaliland meant “annexing part of Somalia to Ethiopia and changing the borders of Somalia” while also suggesting the country’s readiness to go to war to deter Ethiopia from building the port (AP)
Al-Shabaab Attack Kills Five Foreign Soldiers
Al-Shabaab claimed an attack on a Somali army training post that killed four United Arab Emirates (UAE) troops and a Bahraini officer; it was a rare fatal incident involving UAE troops in the country (Bloomberg)