Friday February 2, 2024
Dubai (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud participated in a conference on Somalia's security in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday. The event brought together nations closely aligned with supporting the country's security, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the United States, the U.K., and Turkey.
The conference focused on strategies to aid the Somali government in combating terrorism and coordinating international security assistance.
President Mohamud emphasized the importance of maintaining stability in the region, highlighting the need to avoid undermining the significant achievements in the war against terrorism. He stressed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia should be respected.
Last month, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer expressed concern over the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and the breakaway Somaliland region, stating that it threatens the fight against al-Shabaab in Somalia.
The ongoing crisis between Somalia and Ethiopia revolves around a controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on New Year's Day. The agreement involves Ethiopia leasing a 20-kilometre coastal stretch in Somaliland for a commercial port and military base. The Somali government strongly opposes the deal, labelling it as "aggression" and a "clear violation of sovereignty."
However, the current military operations led by Somalia liberated nearly 80 villages and major towns in Galmudug and Hirshabelle states since President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud declared a "total war" on the group after his re-election two years ago.
On December 1, 2023, the United Nations Security Council lifted the arms embargo imposed on Somalia more than 30 years ago. The 15-member body adopted two British-drafted resolutions: one to remove the full arms embargo on Somalia and another to reimpose an arms embargo on al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.