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Enhancing Counter-terrorism Partnership with Somalia
Gebre-Michael Asgedom
The world had terribly lamented and deplored the attack recently committed in Mogadishu, Somalia. The attack had claimed the lives of over 300 people, while over 400 others were injured. Following the wicked atrocity, many sources had forwarded their allegation that Al-Shabaab is undoubtedly behind the attack as it has been doing same nefarious acts time and again(though Al-Shabaab, one of the major tentacles of international terrorist organizations, like al-Qaida, had kept silent about the massacre).
The United Nations family had also strongly condemned the carnage, the incessant loss of life and destruction of property by the attack of terrorists in Somalia. UN had reiterated its commitment to continue to stand with the people and government of Somalia and to support all efforts towards ensuring rule of law and dominance of justice.
International chroniclers had on 21, October 2017 stated that the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and top United Nations officials had joined the Federal Government of Somalia to mourn the victims of last weekend’s bomb attack. Diplomatic corps and residents of Mogadishu had also expressed sympathy and speedy condolence to mourners.
Speaking on the event, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC-AUCS) for Somalia, Francisco Madeira, had urged the people of Somalia to unite and work closely with the security forces to defeat Al-Shabaab and other agents of terror.
Similarly, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had paid an official visit to Addis Ababa seeking support to fight Al-Shabaab. Speaking on the event, Prime Minsiter, Haile-Mariam Desalegn had said that Al Qaeda and Al-Shabaab were behind the Mogadishu bombing.
Al-Shabaab had committed the diabolic atrocity that wantonly destroyed many hundred innocent civilians in Mogadishu. Hence, it has become a must for both countries to discuss about exerting strengthened effort and standing united in the fight against terrorism.
Indeed, the peoples of Somalia should remain united in the face of this challenging time and provide their government and its security agencies with information that will help bring the perpetrators of barbarous destruction to justice. Recently, Somalian people have shown their support by organizing massive rally of demonstration to condemn Al-Qaida and Al-Shabab. Hopes are great that people will strengthen their support to their government in the fight against terrorism than sitting by and watching their sons and daughters being cannon fodders of terrorists.
Unwilling to see united Somalia with its own strong government, Al-Shabaab had so many times committed its cruel act of terrorism, exterminate its people and let them remain bogged in poverty and unceasing conflict. Earlier, the terrible act of terrorism had affected Kenya (worth remembering that terrorists had laid an attack in its Garisa University and West Gate shopping mall that claimed the lives of many university students and foreign nationalities, respectively).
Over the past five years, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti and the self-declared republic of Somaliland had all been attacked by Somalia-based Al-Shabab militants. What so ever the cause, the current attack in Mogadishu has drawn international condemnation and has upped the tempo on the need to defeat terrorism in the Horn of Africa region.
Indeed, Ethiopia had remained strong and vibrant amid the volatile region of the Horn (the armed conflict in South Sudan, Al-Shabaab’s attacking Somalia and Kenya, Eritrea aggressively provoking attack with its neighbors, among others). Many believe that Ethiopia has been an isle of peace, stability and development while terrorism has been seriously wrecking havoc in its neighbors; it does not mean that terrorism had not at all touched Ethiopia with its sporadic killings, though not as ruthless and devastative as its neighbors.
The fact that Ethiopia hasn’t faced major terrorist attack in the last few years is not for absence of attempt from terrorists. They had even tried to blow an attack amid sports frequenting center in 2013, in stadium, in a bid to aggrandize their number of victims.
However, they could not get room to commit such heinous acts and they committed suicide in a room they rented surreptitiously. Police had expressed belief that attackers were preparing to lay attack on a large football crowd. Perhaps, it is worth thanking dedicated members of police and security forces for stepping up their conscientious act of surveillance and intelligence ahead of the terrorists.
Ethiopia, which has been supporting Somalia in the fight against Al-Shabab and all wings of terrorism, has since long evaded a large-scale attack. Most agree that the country’s secret to avert major attacks is public involvement and its active participation to work in collaboration with security forces. Its security and defense forces are knowledgeable, better equipped and cautious enough to stand sentinel to their country (nation has managed to build very strong security network, put in place an extraordinarily far-reaching intelligence and control its border).
As a concerned and responsible neighbor, Ethiopia has expressed sympathy and unconditional support to Somalia. It had earlier trained Somalian police and armed forces to help them fight terrorism and become reliable guard of peace to their own country, parallel to Ethiopian dauntless defense forces participating in the fight against Al-Shabaab and quelling it down remarkably.
Due to its strong and unshakable stance against terrorism, Ethiopia had been indeed recognized by Somalia as reliable anti-terrorism partner (earlier, US President, Barack Obama had also witnessed that Ethiopia is doing an important job in the fight against terrorism in the horn of Africa). The commendable effort of Ethiopia to fight terrorism has continued to date in an intensified manner. Accordingly, Ethiopia has many times expressed keen interest to support Somalia’s counterterrorism (CT) efforts).
In line with this, Foreign Affairs and National Security Policy (2002) has recognized that Ethiopia should at all times abide by international principles and norms and promote peaceful instruments of regional and international diplomacy and take active roles in global and regional security. Solidarity with the peoples and countries of Africa is also another normative consideration for Ethiopia’s adamant stance against terrorism and cooperation in peacekeeping missions.
And Ethiopia’s counterterrorism cooperation and partnerships formed with countries like Somalia is harmonized with its policy of peaceful co-existence and firm belief to curb terrorism (this is also another reason why Ethiopia is standing out as having been exceptionally successful in the fight against terrorism).
Predominantly, security rationales are major factors that drive Ethiopia’s cooperation in counterterrorism campaigns and peacekeeping deployments in Somalia and other countries. Both in policy and praxis, Ethiopia understands from experience that its national security is intertwined with the security of its neighbors and the countries of the region.
Given that Ethiopia is the only country that shares borders with all the IGAD member states(except Uganda), nation believes that conflicts and security problems in its neighborhood like Somalia often have serious repercussions to its peace and development endeavor that is blooming with time.
Hence, Ethiopian will continue fighting Al-Shabab in Somalia, working in collaboration with African Union troops and AMISOM. The Ethiopian troops had so far made significant gains against Al-Shabab. It is also expected to strengthen the capability of Somalian forces and help mop up the remnant anti-peace elements of Al-Shabab following the recent attack in Mogadishu and Somalia calling for help of Ethiopia( as the remnants of the militant group are still posing noticeable security threats to Somalia and the East African region).
Particularly, the security and peace issue in Somalia concerns Ethiopia very much. Some said Ethiopia has the right to act timely and proactively to curb the spillover effect of terrorism and nip it in the bud, before it endangers its peace and security.
Ethiopia has been and will dedicatedly participate in the international fight against Islamic terrorism, throughout the whole region and it will intensify effort to help prevail peace in east Africa and the Horn as a whole. Particularly, Ethiopia will proceed with the creation of Al-Shabab-free zone in Somalia and the 1,600 km-long border that adjoins Ethiopia and Somalia.
As a responsible neighbor, Ethiopia has promised to support Somalia and provide support in the fight against terrorism. In this regard, nation believes, setting far-sighted strategy to urgently respond to acts of terrorism in Somalia and never letting it happen again is an exigent task.
Nation believes that, no doubt, the concerted effort of Ethiopia and peace-loving people of Somalia and its government will in the near future chop off the limb of Al-Shabab and realize its inevitable demise.
