Ethiopia has hosted a four-day regional maritime security meeting attended by military officers from Somaliland and Puntland, alongside representatives from Yemen, Oman and Djibouti, in a gathering that took place without Somalia’s Federal Government.
The meeting, which concluded in Addis Ababa on Friday, October 30, was organised jointly by the Ethiopian Navy and the European Union. Discussions focused on strengthening regional cooperation to address maritime security threats across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
The absence of Somalia’s Federal Government is particularly notable given the country’s strategic coastline and its ongoing diplomatic tensions with Ethiopia.
According to a report by Caasimada Online, military officials from Yemen, Oman, Djibouti, Somaliland and Puntland attended the gathering, where they examined ways to improve coordination in protecting important maritime routes.
What the meeting discussed
The four-day discussions covered several areas of maritime security, including the protection of shipping routes, search-and-rescue operations, emergency response and regional communication.
Participants also considered ways to coordinate efforts against threats affecting the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Indian Ocean, some of the world’s strategically important maritime corridors.
The involvement of Somaliland and Puntland reflects the importance of coastal security to the two administrations, which oversee extensive stretches of coastline along the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
Both administrations have previously agreed to cooperate in addressing maritime threats that could affect coastal security and the movement of vessels through the region.
Why Somalia’s absence is significant
The Federal Government of Somalia did not participate in the meeting, despite the discussions focusing on maritime security in waters bordering the country.
The gathering also comes at a time when relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa have experienced renewed political strain.
Ethiopia’s engagement with Somaliland and Puntland in a regional security forum could therefore attract attention in Mogadishu, particularly because the Federal Government was not represented.
However, the report does not explain why Somalia was absent or indicate whether Mogadishu was invited to participate.