Ethiopia’s intelligence chief has made a discreet trip to Mogadishu amid rising diplomatic strains across the Horn of Africa, delivering a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
According to Politics In Africa, Redwan Hussein, Director General of Ethiopia’s National Intelligence and Security Service, arrived in Mogadishu on Tuesday without prior announcement. He met President Mohamud at the presidential palace, Villa Somalia, shortly after landing. The content of the message was not disclosed, and neither government has issued an official statement regarding the meeting.
During his visit, Redwan also held talks with Mahad Salad, head of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, at the agency’s headquarters. No details were released about the discussions.
Politics In Africa notes that the surprise trip followed a meeting last week in Djibouti between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh, and comes at a time of growing diplomatic friction in the region.
The visit also coincides with a renewed diplomatic crisis linked to reports that Israel has recognized Somaliland, a move strongly rejected by Mogadishu and criticised by several international partners, adding further complexity to regional relations.
While no official readout has been issued, Politics In Africa reports that the presence of Ethiopia’s intelligence chief in Mogadishu is widely viewed as an attempt by Addis Ababa and Mogadishu to maintain direct lines of communication at a particularly sensitive moment for the Horn of Africa.
