Ethiopia grabs Somalia’s Jubaland airports in bid to keep control of territory

Muhammad Amin

Ethiopia has sent in its troops to grab control of important airports in Jubaland, southern Somalia, following a new security arrangement between Cairo and Mogadishu to station Egyptian soldiers in the war-torn country.

Ethiopia said Sunday its forces sent into the Gedo area of Jubaland state, including the gateway cities of Luuq, Dolo, and Bardheere, “to stop the possible airlift of Egyptian forces to the region”.

“These airports are the only points of access to cities in Gedo region, where the Al-Shabaab movement controls the main roads,” Ethiopia said Sunday.

Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed thundered Sunday during a Sovereignty Day ceremony: “We will humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us … We will not be touched! However, we will humiliate anyone who dares to threaten us in order to dissuade them.”

“We won’t negotiate with anyone on Ethiopia’s sovereignty and dignity,” he was quoted as saying by the official Ethiopian News Agency.

The Somali Guardian reports the Egyptian troops are scheduled to replace the Ethiopian forces who run multiple military posts in the states of South West, Jubaland, and Hirshabelle, ostensibly to combat Al-Shabaab.

Aggressive actions

Ethiopia has been a major contributor to the peacekeeping project and Sunday’s move indicates Addis Ababa has no intention of relinquishing effective control of the territory, especially to Egyptian troops, given the escalating tensions with Cairo over control of the Nile River’s waters.

Ethiopia has strongly criticised the security deal between Somalia and Egypt, claiming certain actors are “taking measures to destabilise the region”. However, it is Addis Ababa’s aggressive actions that seem to be driving the tensions as it seeks to grow its economy.

Addis Ababa’s interests are motivated by geographical concerns that have bedevilled it ever since the landlocked country was formed – gaining access to the sea by forcing a breakaway of Somaliland from Somalia and building up its water reservoir in a massive dam to generate electricity for its growing economy.

Its Somaliland ambitions have put it at loggerheads with Somalia, while its actions with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) are ratcheting up tensions with Egypt.

Choking the Nile

Geopolitical Monitor reports: “The completion of the dam and filling of its reservoir has not spelled complete disaster for Egypt. Yet the consequences by mid-century could be far worse. Egypt is projected to be home to over 160 million people by 2050, putting a strain not just on potable water supplies but also other essential resources.

“In terms of geopolitics, the Grand Renaissance Dam transfers control of Egypt’s vital water resources to an external partner. The dam allows the Ethiopian government to reduce or increase the flow of the Nile as it deems fit, according to its own developmental interests.

“This places Egypt in an extremely vulnerable position, as its very existence is linked to the Nile. For example, according to Egypt’s foreign ministry, a mere 2% reduction in water from the Nile translates into a loss of roughly 81,000 hectares of irrigated land. Yet for Ethiopia, the dam is essential in meeting its ever-growing energy demands and maintaining its explosive growth in GDP per capita.”

Tensions with Somalia have remained under strain ever since Addis Ababa in January aligned itself with breakaway actors in the northern Somali territory of Somaliland. Al Mayadeen reports, under the January agreement, Somaliland has agreed to lease 20km of its coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years, allowing Addis Ababa to establish a naval base and commercial port.

In return, Somaliland seeks formal recognition from Ethiopia, though this has not been officially confirmed by Addis Ababa. However, couple of weeks ago, Ethiopia appointed an ambassador to Somaliland, further escalating tensions.