UAE Calls Off Its Military Engagement with Somalia

After shipping back all of its military hardware from the two camps in Mogadishu where U.A.E. commanders were training the Somali army, the government of the United Arab Emirates has terminated its military engagement with that country.

The two governments of Somalia and the United Arab Emirates signed a military agreement in Abu Dhabi in January 2024. As per the terms of the deal, Somalia would get military training from the U.A.E., and both sides would cooperate in the fight against terrorism and pirates.

Although the implementation of this project was started immediately, it came to a halt shortly afterwards when it was discovered that there was widespread corruption in the salaries and supplies intended for the military trainees.

The murder of five Emirates commanders who were leading the military training in those camps in Mogadishu in February 2024 has had a detrimental impact on the two nations’ relationship. Three of those officers were nationals of United Arab Emirates.

When it became apparent that the humanitarian rations were being sold in the marketplaces, the US government itself halted food supplies to the Danab brigade of the Somali National Army in April 2024, which was under its training. It is said that Somalia has the world’s most corrupt government and is a failing state.

Given that the United Arab Emirates has decided against rebuilding the Somali army, on the other hand, Qatar is forging a military engagement with Ethiopia at a time that Ethiopia and Somalia are at odds politically because of Ethiopia’s signing of the Somaliland Memorandum of Understanding at the start of the year.

A delegation led by Qatar’s Military Attaché to Ethiopia, Brigadier General Mohammed Ali Al Hajri met on Tuesday and discussed with Brigadier General Kebede Regasa, Ethiopian Defense University Commander, various issues including enhancing cooperation in military technology excellence between the two countries, according to Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF).

During a visit to the Ethiopian Defense University, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Ali Al Hajri saw the military academic activities being carried out by the university, including study and research areas, and commented that the activities were vital in increasing the country’s future modern military technological excellence in various military fields, according to ENDF’s readout of the event.

The Commander further explained that by fostering a close relationship between t hi hihe two countries, it was possible to create links in the military educational institutions in many areas of military technology, training, study, and research, among other fields.

Brig. Gen. Kebede on his part highlighted that it was necessary to coordinate and make use of the experiences gained in the educational fields of the military institutions in Ethiopia and Qatar to ensure the effective use of common military technology and further consolidate the multi-faceted relations that already exist between the two countries.

He expressed his belief that the Ethiopian Defense University will further expand cooperation with the military educational institutions of Qatar in all military educational fields including research to use common experiences in the area.

In March this year, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, met with Ethiopia’s senior defense officials led by Defense Minister Abraham and General Abebaw Tadesse, Deputy Chief of General Staff of Ethiopian armed forces, and discussed bolstering military relations between the two countries. The meeting, which was also attended by Brig. Gen. Mohammed Ali Al Hajri, took place on the sidelines of the 8th Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) and addressed topics of mutual interest aimed at enhancing strategic military alignments between Ethiopia and Qatar.

Source: Haatufonline & Addis Standard