Ethiopian Foreign Minister Warns of Destabilization Risks of Foreign Arms Shipments to Somalia – Somali News in English

Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie, has raised alarm over the supply of arms to Somalia by external forces, warning that the influx could further destabilize the country’s fragile security situation and potentially benefit terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab. Atske-Selassie’s concerns highlight the critical challenges posed by Somalia’s weak arms and ammunition management system, which has long been plagued by poor oversight, lack of transparency and the absence of robust control mechanisms.

The Ethiopian Foreign Minister’s statement comes against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and a resurgence of Al-Shabaab activities in Somalia, underscoring the urgent need for a more coordinated and strategic approach to addressing the root causes of insecurity and instability in the Horn of Africa. The uncontrolled flow of arms into Somalia not only threatens to further destabilize the country, but also risks fueling regional conflicts and providing a windfall for terrorist groups seeking to exploit the chaos.

Weak arms control in Somalia

Somalia’s poor arms and ammunition management system has consistently failed to provide adequate oversight and control over the flow of arms into the country. This institutional weakness has been exacerbated by the deep political divisions and power struggles that plague Somalia’s political landscape, with the federal government and regional states often pursuing divergent and sometimes contradictory approaches to addressing security challenges.

The controversy surrounding the deployment of a large Egyptian arms shipment to the Somali National Army (SNA) in Mogadishu, currently being unloaded at the city’s port, has thrown these issues into sharp focus. While the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has hailed the shipment as a vital boost to its military capabilities, regional leaders have expressed concern about the lack of transparency and consultation surrounding the move, and the potential for these weapons to be diverted or misused.

Somalia has a long history of arms diversion and proliferation, with weapons intended for government forces often ending up in the hands of militias, criminal gangs, and even terrorist groups. The country’s porous borders, weak security institutions, and lack of a robust tracking and tracing system have made it a prime target for arms trafficking.

Ethiopia is concerned about Egypt’s growing influence in Somalia

The recent arrival of Egyptian military aircraft in Mogadishu, carrying weapons and equipment to support the FGS, has raised alarm bells in Addis Ababa. Cairo sees Cairo’s increasing involvement in Somalia as a direct threat to its own interests in the region.

Ethiopia and Egypt have long been locked in a bitter dispute over the waters of the Nile, with Cairo seeing Addis Ababa’s construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as an existential threat to its water security. The two countries have also clashed over regional influence and security, with Egypt seeking to counter Ethiopia’s growing power and assertiveness in the Horn of Africa.

Egypt’s decision to provide military assistance to Somalia is seen by Ethiopia as a calculated move to gain a strategic foothold in the region and undermine Addis Ababa’s interests. The FGS’s increasing dependence on Egyptian support, coupled with the recent signing of a bilateral defense pact between the two countries, has exacerbated these concerns and fueled fears of a new proxy conflict in Somalia.

For Ethiopia, the prospect of an Egyptian-backed Somali army poses a significant threat to its own security and regional influence. Addis Ababa has long played a key role in Somalia’s security architecture, with Ethiopian troops forming part of ATMIS and the country providing significant support to the SNA and other Somali security forces. The growing Egyptian presence in Somalia threatens to undermine these efforts and create new fault lines in an already complex and fragile regional landscape.