MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s attendance at Ethiopia’s inauguration of a new dam has sparked fresh political tensions at home and raised concerns over shifting regional power dynamics.
Efforts by President Mohamud to meet with Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York collapsed, officials said. The talks, backed by Kenya, reportedly fell through after Madobe consulted opposition leaders who urged him not to attend.
Reliable sources say Villa Somalia sought to use the meeting to display political unity and to create division between Madobe and Puntland leader Said Deni, who recently reconciled after a prolonged dispute.
The Somali opposition group, the Somali Salvation Forum, opposed the effort, viewing it as a political maneuver aimed at isolating dissenting factions.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s expanding ambitions for Red Sea access have raised concerns in Somalia despite President Mohamud’s public gestures of goodwill toward Ethiopia.
Analysts say Addis Ababa’s maritime ambitions are growing, fueling fears that Ethiopia may seek territorial expansion into Somali or Eritrean coastal areas.
These developments come as Somalia’s former regional allies — who previously resisted Ethiopia’s Red Sea plans — appear increasingly fractured, weakening Somalia’s diplomatic position.
Adding to the complexity, Egypt announced plans to deploy troops to Somalia, according to Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper. Cairo views Somalia as a strategic location to counter Ethiopia and to reaffirm historic ties with the Somali people.
President Mohamud faces mounting pressure from opposition groups accusing him of deepening political divides and failing to build consensus on a roadmap for upcoming elections. His term is nearing its end, but no clear transition framework has been established.
The opposition is set to hold a high-profile conference in Mogadishu on Sunday, aiming to push President Mohamud toward accepting a politically inclusive electoral process.
Analysts say President Mohamud has shown little willingness to compromise, signaling a possible political standoff in the months ahead.
