Somalia Observes as the U.A.E. Deepens Its Military Ties with Somaliland
As the Gulf state increases its power in the Horn of Africa, the United Arab Emirates -UAE – and Somaliland are strengthening their military and security collaboration. This development may further exacerbate tensions between Abu Dhabi and the federal government of Somalia.
Lt. Gen. Eisa Saif Mohammed Al Mazrouei, the leader of Staff of the United Arab Emirates, met with Maj. Gen. Nimcan Yusuf Osman, the military leader of Somaliland, in Abu Dhabi to discuss security assistance, military modernization, and defense cooperation.
The talks included UAE assistance in logistics, military technology, and training to strengthen Somaliland’s defense capabilities, the Somaliland military said in a statement. Osman’s participation in an international defense expo in Abu Dhabi through February 23 coincided with the meeting.
Abu Dhabi has long been interested in increasing its military presence in Berbera because of its proximity to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which may help it project power farther into East Africa and fend against adversaries like Turkey, which supports Mogadishu. According to reports, the UAE wants to strengthen its position in East Africa by establishing a military facility there.
Strengthening military links with the UAE is important to Somaliland for both security and a larger international recognition effort. Somaliland has looked seeking international alliances to support its claim to statehood since announcing its independence from Somalia in 1991.
In keeping with the expanding security and diplomatic connections between Hargeisa and Abu Dhabi, Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, has also made two official visits to the United Arab Emirates in the last month. He attended the World Government Summit during his most recent visit, where regional security and governance were major subjects.
The federal government of Somalia has persistently opposed foreign military agreements with Somaliland, contending that such arrangements compromise the territorial integrity of Somalia.
The presence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Somaliland, both militarily and economically, has sparked controversy since 2017 when DP World, a Dubai-based company, entered into a partnership to develop Berbera Port, which included collaboration with Ethiopia. In response, Somalia’s parliament condemned the agreement as unlawful, asserting that all foreign investments must be negotiated through the capital, Mogadishu.
In 2018, tensions escalated significantly when Somali authorities confiscated $9.6 million from a United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft in Mogadishu, alleging that Abu Dhabi was financing regional militias. In retaliation, the UAE discontinued its military training program for Somalia’s national army and redirected its focus towards direct security cooperation with Somaliland and Puntland.
The UAE’s increasing involvement in Somaliland coincides with Ethiopia’s contentious Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hargeisa, which includes provisions for potential Ethiopian naval access to the port of Berbera. This agreement precipitated a diplomatic crisis between Somalia and Ethiopia, thereby further complicating the intricate web of regional alliances.