Jubaland Deputy President Holds Meeting with Ethiopian Army Chief in Addis Ababa

Jubaland Deputy President Holds Meeting with Ethiopian Army Chief in Addis Ababa

 The Vice President of Jubaland State, Mohamud Sayid Adan, met with the Commander-in-Chief of the Ethiopian Army, Berhanu Jula, in Addis Ababa. The meeting came amid rising tensions following the arrival of an Ethiopian military aircraft carrying weapons to the Jubaland capital, Kismayo, which Somalia officially condemned as “unacceptable”. 

The meeting comes shortly after the Ankara Declaration, in which both Somalia and Ethiopia pledged to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, with the aim of mending strained relations and boosting regional cooperation.

According to an official statement, discussions during the meeting focused on key security issues, including strategies for managing border movements, plans to liberate key towns in Jubaland from Al-Shabaab militants, and ways to enhance joint efforts for regional peace and stability.

The conflict between the Somali federal government and Jubaland state is expected by many to be a test of the agreement concluded between Somalia and Ethiopia in Ankara, as the agreement will oblige Ethiopia to stop supporting the Jubaland state, which opposes the Somali government, as it is considered interference in Somalia’s internal affairs and a violation of the country’s sovereignty.