MOGADISHU, Somalia – A regional security summit in Mogadishu descended into acrimony this week after Somalia’s delegation staunchly rejected a proposal by Ethiopia to deploy a naval unit as part of a new African Union peacekeeping mission, souring a gathering that had been intended to foster regional cooperation.

The controversial offer surfaced during a conference of the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF), a regional bloc mandated to promote peace and security. Hosted by Somalia for the first time in the organization’s history, the summit aimed to address shared security challenges across the region. However, it quickly became dominated by the long-standing diplomatic tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbours.

Ethiopian military officials caught participants off guard when they announced their intent to contribute a naval contingent to the forthcoming African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which is set to replace the outgoing ATMIS force. The Ethiopian side argued that a maritime component was part of the original force generation plan jointly endorsed by member states, including Somalia.

The proposal was met with swift and forceful opposition from the Somali hosts.

“Somali officials, led by the State Minister for Defence Omar Ali Abdi and the Deputy Commander of the Somali National Army, General Madey Nurey Sheikh Ufurow, strongly rejected Ethiopia’s plan to bring its naval forces to Somalia,” said a Somali official familiar with the matter.

According to attendees, the debate became so intense that it nearly derailed the summit altogether, with the first day ending in “uproar and shouting,” which disrupted discussions originally planned around counter-terrorism and cross-border crime.

Underlying tensions erupt

The dispute underscored the worsening ties between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, which have been strained since a controversial port deal earlier this year.

In January 2024, landlocked Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland—a self-declared breakaway region of Somalia—to lease 20 kilometers (12 miles) of coastline. In return, Ethiopia would gain access to the Red Sea for naval and commercial use, and in a potential quid pro quo, extend recognition to Somaliland’s independence.

Somalia, which regards Somaliland as an inseparable part of its territory, condemned the agreement as a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty and an aggressive encroachment upon its territory. The fallout has triggered the most serious diplomatic rift between the two nations in decades.

Against this backdrop, Ethiopia’s proposed naval deployment in Somali waters is viewed in Mogadishu with deep suspicion as a strategic move to advance its maritime ambitions under the cover of an African Union framework.

A historic meeting derailed

The dramatic turn of events stood in stark contrast to the summit’s hopeful beginning. As the first-ever EASF command meeting held in Mogadishu, Somali officials celebrated it as a significant milestone and a symbol of the country’s improving security landscape.

“It is an honour and a historic victory for Somalia to host this conference,” said General Ufurow at the summit’s opening session.

The Director General of the EASF also commended Somalia for hosting the gathering, praising the country’s “visible security recovery” and growing contributions to peace and stability across the Horn of Africa.

The Eastern African Standby Force (EASF) comprises military, police, and civilian components from 10 member states and is designed to provide a rapid deployment capability for peace operations as part of the African Union’s broader security architecture.

Despite the disruption, officials indicated that the planning will proceed. Colonel Abdirahman Abdi, a senior advisor to Djibouti’s Chief of Defence Forces, said that recommendations from the command meeting will be presented to defence ministers of EASF member states at an upcoming summit.

Still, the public confrontation in Mogadishu has exposed the profound strain that the Somalia-Ethiopia rift places on regional cooperation—and the mounting difficulties faced by multilateral security frameworks such as the EASF and the African Union itself.