Somalia’s difficult options: To support Ethiopia's rebels or embrace diplomacy?

Somalia's foreign minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi says his country has an option to support rebels in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa implements Somaliland MoU.

NAIROBI, Kenya - The diplomatic tiff between Somalia and Ethiopia has taken a new twist, perhaps if not solved urgently, would turn out to be the most catastrophic blunder in the Horn of Africa, and potentially, pave room for infiltration by terrorist groups.

Somalia accuses Ethiopia of infringement of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, following an agreement with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia. The agreement gives Ethiopia 20 kilometers of access to the Red Sea for the construction of a military base and port, in exchange for recognition of the region.

But the delicate matter has left the region grappling with tensions and confusions, forcing Somalia to pen defense agreements with Turkey and Egypt. Already, Egypt, which is embroiled in tussles over Nile water with Ethiopia, has dispatched weapons to Somalia.

Somalia is now at a fix on the solution to the problem, ruling out diplomatic advances made by Turkey, effectively making next month's meeting untenable. A determined Ethiopia has also refused to discard the agreement as a precondition for dialogue.

Interestingly, both teams are ready for any eventuality, with Somalia, which had hinted at military aggression, suggesting that it could support Ethiopian rebels in fighting Ethiopia in the event the agreement is advanced.

Ahmed Fiqi, Somalia's Foreign Affairs minister, made the claims when he was answering a question asked by the local Universal TV on September 12, further drawing criticism from Ethiopia, a major security stakeholder of the country.

“The option to have contacts with armed rebels in Ethiopia or rebels that are fighting against the Ethiopia regime - if it continues this, to have contact with them is an option open to Somalia, it’s a door open to us,” he said.

Fiqi insisted the situation had not yet reached that stage.

“But still we have not reached that stage, there is a hope there will be a solution. But it is a path open to us…it’s the correct thing to go there, to take that path to meet them, to support them, to stand them. But that will come when they continue their hostility, and attempt to implement the so-called agreement,” he said.

Asked if the Somali government has a plan to make contact with the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which has been at loggerheads with Ethiopia, he suggested that the faction could be an option if Ethiopia's advances persist.

“We discussed that, but at this time the collapse of Ethiopia is not in the interest of Somalia and the Horn of Africa region. But if they continue to [support] those opposing Somalia and with the secessionist groups they have signed agreements with, it’s is an option for us,” he said.

But moments after his remarks, Ethiopia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Nebiyu Tedla criticised the comments from Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“It's comical to witness Al-Shabaab agents posing as government officials, who are unable to function effectively outside of Banaadir babbling hallow nationalism, driven by narrow clan centralization. Such will only undermine years of progress and lead Somalia into the pit,” Nebiyu said in a post on X.

Both military and rebel options are being advanced, with little room for dialogue, as Somali banks on Egyptian backup. However, most members of the international community believe that the diplomatic channels should be exhausted before any aggression.

U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Richard Riley: "We do not recognize the MoU between Somaliland and Ethiopia. We are trying to solve it through diplomatic channels."

"We will not allow anyone to threaten Somalia or infringe its territory," added Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has been courting Somalia lately. Last week, Somalia maintained it will not be used as a 'pawn' to fight proxy wars.

GAROWE ONLINE