On Wednesday, the leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia gave the impression that the two neighbours would place more emphasis on their economic ties going forward.
His first trip to Ethiopia since taking office in May, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud for a two-day working visit to the nation’s capital, Addis Abeba.
Ethiopia has led regional assistance for Somalia’s war against the terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, for the past few decades.
Abiy told Mahmoud that Addis Ababa wants to pursue economic cooperation with Mogadishu even though Ethiopia still plays a significant role in the African Union Mission in Somalia, which is engaged in operations against al-Shabaab.
According to a statement from Abiy’s office, he reaffirmed Ethiopia’s readiness to collaborate with the new Somali government at various levels “with particular emphasis on economic growth.”
According to the statement, “He further reaffirmed Ethiopia’s desire for a more powerful and stable Somalia, which is beneficial to Ethiopia.”
Mohamud praised Ethiopia for its “sacrifices” made for “a better Somalia” and emphasised the significance of cooperation in resolving issues that the two nations share.
In addition, Mahmoud’s visit occurs as conflict between Tigray rebels and government forces rages on in northern Ethiopia.
A months-long cease-fire was broken in late August, prolonging a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives and forced millions of others to flee their homes.
The need for a lasting resolution to the conflict that has raged in northern Ethiopia since November 2020 has been reaffirmed by the international community, including Turkey and the US.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front announced earlier this month that they were willing to halt fighting and participate in a dialogue mediated by the African Union, giving hope for peace talks between the rebel group and Abiy’s government a much-needed boost. However, no progress has been made since then.
In a report published last week, UN rights experts charged both sides with engaging in abuses that have the potential to qualify as war crimes and crimes against humanity.