Somalia’s Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) and Ethiopia are discussing
plans to redeploy Ethiopian troops back in the country in order to provide
protection to the TFG against Islamist groups who are trying to oust it,
sources privy with the two parties told Mareeg online on Sunday.
Sources at the Somali embassy in Addis Ababa have confirmed to us that the
TFG deputy prime minister, who is also the minister of finance,
traveled to Addis
Ababa in an unannounced trip and is currently holding talks.
Sharif Hasan Sheikh Adan, the deputy prime minister of the TFG, has met
senior officials of the Ethiopian military after chairing a recent cabinet
meeting in Mogadishu in which ministers in the TFG agreed to seek the
deployment of foreign troops, particularly Ethiopian forces, in the country.
Mareeg tried making contacts with the offices of the Somali president and
prime minister about talks with the Ethiopian military, but both declined to
comment on the issue. Spokesmen at both offices said they do not have the
permission to discuss the matter.
Somalia's embassy in Ethiopia also officially declined to confirm the issue.
However, a Somali diplomat at the embassy who refrained from being named
confirmed that the TFG and Ethiopian military officials were discussing the
deployment of Ethiopian troops in Somalia.
The TFG deputy prime minister and Ethiopian military officials have not yet
finalized their agreement. On the contrary, the TFG has suggested that once
both governments agree on the matter, it will then be tabled before the
Federal Somali Parliament which will endorse the deployment of Ethiopian
troops in the country.
The TFG resorted to the deployment of Ethiopian troops in the country
because of the united opposition groups that are planning to overthrow it.
Armed groups opposed to the TFG have said they will take stern measures
against any foreign force that is deployed in Somalia, adding that they will
engage them in clashes.
Two year ago, the Ethiopian prime minister, Meles Zenawi, deployed more than
5,000 of his troops in Somalia where they were engaged in fierce fighting by
armed groups opposed to the then government.
It is not yet known whether the Ethiopian government will go ahead and
redeploy its forces in Somalia, although some analysts have suggested that
Ethiopia might just sent its forces in areas bordering Somalia and that it
might not have the capability to once again redeploy its forces in the
(Somali) capital, Mogadishu.
Elsewhere, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi today in his office received and held
talks with deputy prime minister and finance minister of Transitional
Federal Government [TFG] of Somalia, Sharif Hasan.
According to a high ranking official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
who attended the meeting, the two leaders’ discussion mainly focused on the
current general situation in Somalia.
The two leaders' discussion mainly centred on how to reverse the current
security situation in Somalia and Ethiopia's support to the Somalia’s weak
government that is struggling heavy fighting with joint opposition fighters.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Meles said that his country wants to
assist the transitional government in training and capacity building
sectors.
Ethiopia and the transitional government of Somalia also reached an
agreement to annul the danger posed by Al-Shabab in collaboration with the
international community, the foreign affairs official said.
After the meeting, the deputy prime minister and finance minister of the
Somalia transitional government, Sharif Hasan, said that his country wants
to further enhance its bilateral relations with Ethiopia. He also said that
his discussion with Prime Minister Meles had focused on the prevailing
security problem in his country and on the support Ethiopia wants to give to
his country.
By Abdinasir Mohamed
Email: abdinasir4@gmail.com
Mogadishu-Somalia
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