Somalia Claims Neutrality Amid Escalating Tensions Between Ethiopia and Eritrea

MOGADISHU (SD) — Somalia’s federal government says it remains neutral in the escalating dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, rejecting suggestions that its participation in a recent regional summit alongside Egypt, Eritrea and Sudan signals that Mogadishu has taken sides.

Somalia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Hassan Mohamed Ali Nadara, told the BBC that the government maintained positive relations with both Ethiopia and Eritrea and had no intention of becoming involved in their dispute. He said Mogadishu was monitoring developments closely and remained committed to peace, regional stability and preventing further escalation.

Nadara also rejected criticism that Somalia had aligned itself with Egypt and Eritrea following the four-way summit hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the coastal city of New Alamein on October 4. The meeting brought together Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The resulting joint declaration addressed regional security, the sovereignty of states, Nile River water use and Red Sea governance.

The declaration has prompted questions about Somalia’s neutrality because it opposed unilateral measures affecting the existing water use of Egypt and Sudan, which have longstanding disagreements with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. It also stated that governance of the Red Sea is the exclusive responsibility of littoral states, a position relevant to Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to the sea. Analysts cited in the BBC report questioned whether Somalia’s participation could complicate its relations with Addis Ababa.

Nadara maintained that Somalia’s diplomatic engagement with the three summit participants did not mean it supported their positions against Ethiopia. He argued that Somalia, as a sovereign state, had the right to establish partnerships and participate in regional consultations while maintaining relations with countries involved in disputes. He also said Mogadishu had received no official notification that Ethiopian troops serving in Somalia under the African Union mission were preparing to withdraw.

His remarks come as relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea deteriorate sharply. Ethiopia has accused Eritrean forces of crossing into its territory in the northern Tigray region and supporting armed groups fighting the Ethiopian government. Addis Ababa told the United Nations Security Council that it had the right to act in self-defence, while Eritrea rejected Ethiopia’s allegations and called on the UN to intervene. The competing accusations have heightened fears of a wider regional conflict.

Nadara acknowledged that further escalation could affect Somalia’s security and economy, including cross-border trade and the movement of people. Ethiopia remains an important security partner in Somalia, where its forces participate in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and cooperate with federal authorities against militant groups.

Somalia’s insistence on neutrality reflects the diplomatic challenge facing Mogadishu as competition over the Nile, Red Sea access and regional security intensifies. Although the government says its participation in the Alamein summit does not amount to taking sides, the declaration’s positions on water resources and maritime governance overlap with major Ethiopian strategic concerns.

For Somalia, maintaining working relations with Ethiopia is particularly important because of shared border security, trade and counterterrorism interests. A widening Ethiopia–Eritrea confrontation could disrupt these relationships and place additional pressure on Somalia’s fragile security environment. Mogadishu’s ability to sustain its stated neutrality will depend on whether it can continue engaging with regional partners without becoming directly entangled in their competing strategic agendas.