MOGADISHU, Somalia – The appointment of Ethiopia’s new ambassador to Somalia has ignited a diplomatic firestorm, after past social media posts surfaced in which the envoy repeatedly referred to the Somali federal government as a “failed regime” and accused it of “air piracy,” further straining already fraught relations.

The new ambassador, Suleiman Dedefo, presented his diplomatic credentials to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu on Tuesday, a standard diplomatic procedure that was immediately overshadowed by his history of inflammatory public statements.

The controversy erupts at a time of high tension between the Horn of Africa neighbours, following a January 1 deal between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland that would grant Addis Ababa coveted sea access in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence—a move Mogadishu has branded an “act of aggression.”

Mr. Dedefo, a veteran diplomat who previously served as Ethiopia’s Director General for Neighboring Countries and IGAD Affairs, has been a vocal critic of President Mohamud’s administration on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. In multiple posts, he has used the term “nidaamka fashilmay ee Muqdisho,” or “the failed regime in Mogadishu,” to describe the internationally recognized Somali government he is now tasked with engaging.

Hostility towards Somalia

In one particularly scathing post from February 24, 2024, Mr. Dedefo accused Somali authorities of endangering regional aviation safety.

“The air piracy in the making:- The irresponsible group in power in Mogadishu has proven that it can not administer that big and sensitive part of the world,” he wrote. “The airspace pirates originating from Mogadishu are endangering that part of the world once again. The attempt to create a flight collision between Ethiopian and Qataris aircraft on February 24, 2024, is a witness to this complaint.”

The allegation refers to a period of heightened airspace tension after Somalia accused Ethiopian Airlines of violating its airspace. In response, Ethiopia reportedly instructed its aircraft to disregard directives from air traffic controllers in Mogadishu, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which issued a warning at the time.

Mr. Dedefo concluded his post by calling on “International institutions in charge of airspace and aviation management” to take measures to “ensure safety and security of Somali airspace,” implying the Somali government was incapable of doing so.

Another of the ambassador’s posts commented on protests against a potential deployment of Egyptian troops to Somalia, a move seen as a sign of Mogadishu bolstering its alliances against Ethiopia. Egypt has offered strong support for Somalia’s sovereignty following the Ethiopia-Somaliland pact.

Sharing images of a demonstration, Mr. Dedefo wrote, “The people of Somalia, who have drawn a good lesson from their history, have publicly rejected the arrival of the Egyptian military by the invitation of the leaders of the failed regime in Mogadishu.”

The images accompanying the post show protestors in Xudur, a town in Somalia’s South West State, where Ethiopia maintains a significant military presence as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Some signs read “EGYPT MASAR MARABNO,” a Somali phrase meaning “We do not want Egypt.” At the same time, another in English says, “WELCOME TO ETHIOPIA,” highlighting the deep internal divisions Ethiopia’s presence has sometimes exacerbated within Somalia.

Unacceptable appointment 

Critics in Somalia have expressed shock that the government accepted the credentials of a diplomat with a public record of hostility towards its institutions. The appointment is seen by many as a provocative step by Addis Ababa in the wake of the port deal.

The controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on January 1, 2024, would grant landlocked Ethiopia access to 20 kilometres (12 miles) of Somaliland’s coastline for a naval base and commercial port for 50 years. Somaliland has operated as a de facto independent state since 1991, but has not gained widespread international recognition.

President Mohamud has rejected the deal as a violation of Somalia’s territorial integrity and has been rallying diplomatic support from regional partners, including Egypt and Eritrea. The African Union has called for de-escalation and respect for Somalia’s sovereignty.

The Somali government has yet to issue a formal public statement regarding Ambassador Dedefo’s past comments.

His arrival in Mogadishu, where he joins the diplomatic community within the heavily fortified Halane Zone, places a figure central to Ethiopia’s assertive foreign policy directly at the heart of a capital he has publicly disparaged, setting the stage for a deeply uncomfortable diplomatic relationship.