Ethiopian Army Chief General Berhanu Jula, leading a high level delegation, consisting of head of National Intelligence and Security Agency, Redwan Hussien, and other Ethiopian officials paid an official working visit to Mogadishu. The visit of Ethiopia’s top brass security follows after the two leaders of Somalia and Ethiopia held high level discussions in Addis Ababa on 14 Feb. 2025. The two leaders agreed that the security officials of the two countries hold technical talks in Mogadishu.
Somalia’s Army Chief General Odawaa Yusuf Rage, flanked by the director responsible for National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdilahi Mohamed Ali, greeted the Ethiopian delegation upon arrival at Mogadishu airport. The two sides exchanged views on Somalia’s security and the entire region. They reiterated that it is important to keep peace, stability and tranquility in the region. They underscored the ongoing efforts of countries contributing troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
The two sides acknowledged that countries contributing troops to ATMIS and Somali troops are committed to pacify Somalia and eliminate Alshabab terrorist organization from the country. The two army chiefs welcomed the start of the new African Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). They noted the importance to capitalize on the gains that ATMIS made as far as the peace keeping troops are concerned. Somalia’s army chief acknowledged the key role that Ethiopia’s Defense Forces play when it comes to fighting terrorist organizations in Somalia.
They agreed to support the ongoing operations which are aimed at flushing out AlShabab militant groups from Somalia. Ethiopia and Somalia reached a common understanding that Ethiopia must respect the territorial integrity of Somalia. They called on the int’l community to support the rebuilding of Somalia’s robust national army in order to pave the way for AUSSOM’s exit from Somalia. They agreed that the Somali National Army will have the capability to assume the national security of Somalia. They also agreed to the formation of Status Task Force which was part of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed back in 2023.
