Countries Collaborating to Wipe Out Extremism: Somalia’s Ambassador Abdihakim

ENA,February 12/2020 Somalia and Ethiopia have been coordinating efforts to defeat extremism and terrorism, Somalia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia said.

In an exclusive Interview with ENA, Ambassador Abdihakim Abdullahi H. Omer Amey said   peace and security is vital not only in Somalia but also in neighboring countries and Africa.

He stated that “Somalia and Ethiopia are working to defeat the enemy of human beings, that is the extremism.”

According to him, extremism is a danger the region is facing these days. “We (therefore) need to work together to defeat them.”

The two countries “are really satisfied” with the way things are moving now, the ambassador noted, adding that they will continue working to advance on the good, positive and realistic way in order to defeat Al-Shaabab.

Ethiopian troops are not only serving as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia, there are also several thousand Ethiopian troops operating in various parts of Somalia outside the AMISOM mandate, Abdihakim revealed.

The relation between Somalia and Ethiopia is “absolutely at the best time of all times and excellent,” he said, stating that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo's frequent visit to Ethiopia has helped to cement relations in multifaceted spheres.

“He was really building a very strong brotherly and neighborly relations between the two countries,” the ambassador stressed.

“I am  fully confident that the relation between the countries will build up, and there would be very nice relation,” he added.

Abdihakim further noted that the leaders of the countries are working for the historic transformation of the Horn of Africa region towards peace and economic integration.

“Having a free trade is the policy of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. They want the integration of the people,  peace and development of the two countries,” the ambassador pointed out.

Stressing that no leader can be effective unless his people support him, he said “we (therefore) need the cooperation of the people of both countries to defeat the enemy.”  

Abdihakim recalled that leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia held the third round of their tripartite summit in Asmara, Eritrea, last January to discuss ways of strengthening further the ties in the Horn of Africa region.