Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Balcad, addressed the ongoing African Union Mision in Somalia, [AUSSOM] stating that the country retains full autonomy over the mission's operations and the countries participating.
Balcad confirmed that Ethiopia and Egypt would be part of the new peacekeeping force, while Burundi would not participate after a disagreement over the allocation of the troop numbers.
This announcement has sparked debate, particularly regarding the involvement of Ethiopia and Egypt, whose longstanding tensions over the Nile River have raised questions about the potential impact of their collaboration in Somalia.
Some observers have speculated that the strained relations between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Nile could affect their joint role in the mission, adding complexity to the already challenging security environment in Somalia.
Despite these concerns, Balcad emphasized that Somalia is fully in control of how the mission is structured and executed, with the country having the final say on the participation of foreign troops and their deployment.
Ethiopia is now on the list of the troop-contributing nations after the resulting of a nearly one year tension between the two neighbors over the controversial Red Sea access MoU.
