MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Once close allies in the Horn of Africa, relations between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates have deteriorated sharply in recent months, with Abu Dhabi now backing opposition elements and regional administrations against Somalia’s federal government, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Caasimada Online news website reported on Wednesday.
The rupture follows a deadly attack in early 2024 in which several UAE military personnel were killed at a fortified military installation in Mogadishu during an assault claimed by Al-Shabaab. The incident marked a turning point, prompting the UAE to threaten severing military and financial ties with Somalia.
In the aftermath, President Mohamud appealed for continued Emirati support for Somalia’s national army, but the UAE issued strict demands, including the dismissal of four senior officials: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Intelligence Chief Mahad Salad, Education Minister Farah Abdulkadir, and then-Mogadishu Mayor Yusuf Jimale Madale.
While Mohamud removed Salad and Madale from their posts, he refused to dismiss the Prime Minister and Education Minister, triggering a firm response from Abu Dhabi. Emirati officials reportedly made clear they would withdraw all military support unless all their conditions were met in full.
Since then, the UAE has escalated its involvement by increasing its military and financial support to regional states opposed to the federal government, particularly Jubaland and Puntland. Both semi-autonomous regions have grown increasingly hostile toward Mogadishu, further fragmenting Somalia’s fragile political landscape.
In a more provocative turn, Abu Dhabi has begun courting prominent opposition leaders in Mogadishu, allegedly offering funding and arms to facilitate the ouster of President Mohamud—ironically, a leader who had previously enjoyed the UAE’s backing during his election campaign in 2022.
In response, Villa Somalia has taken decisive steps to shore up internal support and recalibrate its regional alliances. President Mohamud has dismissed several long-serving security and military officials and is reportedly considering reinstating Mahad Salad as head of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA). Simultaneously, Mogadishu has sought closer ties with Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Despite the escalating standoff, both governments have publicly remained tight-lipped. However, in a veiled reference to the growing strain, Prime Minister Barre recently remarked that “old political tactics are resurfacing under new disguises.”
Diplomats and regional analysts warn that the intensifying rift threatens to destabilize Somalia’s already volatile political environment and complicates international efforts to combat Al-Shabaab, a militant group that remains a persistent threat across the region.
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