Somalia’s failed state president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, will visit Turkey today at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit comes amid efforts to mediate growing diplomatic tensions in the Horn of Africa.
Sources reveal that President Mohamud is expected to meet Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed in Ankara for face-to-face talks. Erdogan is leading mediation to resolve Somalia-Ethiopia tensions, stemming from the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU.
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has previously declined to meet with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, opposing regional efforts aimed at bringing the two leaders together. The Somali leader has maintained his stance that no talks will occur until Ethiopia reverses its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland’s government.
As tensions rose, Somalia sought support from Egypt, which has supplied arms to Mogadishu in recent months.
The upcoming meeting coincides with recent diplomatic developments, including Kenyan President and EAC Chairperson William Ruto’s announcement of a summit aimed at facilitating dialogue between Somalia and Ethiopia.
The scheduled meeting comes at a critical time, as Somalia faces internal political turmoil, particularly with Jubaland’s recent suspension of relations with the federal government over local election disputes.
The relationship between the federal government and Jubaland has further deteriorated following the disputed reelection of Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe. Mogadishu rejected the election, claiming it lacked federal oversight. In response, Jubaland suspended all cooperation with the federal government and issued an arrest warrant for President Mohamud, accusing him of human rights violations.
Tensions escalated into armed conflict last week in Raskamboni, where the Somali Federal Government deployed Turkish-trained elite units against Jubaland forces. The standoff has resulted in a blockade of Raskamboni, raising concerns about violence spilling into Kenya.
Meanwhile, Somaliland recently held a peaceful presidential election, with opposition leader Abdirahman Irro winning. His inauguration is set for later this week, and Somaliland and Ethiopia are expected to advance the MoU, indicating a strengthening of ties between Hargeisa and Addis Ababa.
These developments in Jubaland and Somaliland highlight the complex and volatile dynamics in the Horn of Africa as Somalia navigates internal divisions and regional disputes.
