Ethiopia’s intelligence chief, Redwan Hussein, made an unannounced visit to Somalia on Tuesday, holding closed-door talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as tensions continue to simmer across the Horn of Africa.
Hussein met the Somali president at Villa Somalia, where he delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, according to sources familiar with the meeting. The contents of the message were not disclosed, and neither government issued an official statement on the visit.
During his trip, Hussein also held discussions with Mahad Salad, director of Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency, at the agency’s headquarters in Mogadishu. Details of those talks were likewise not made public.
The visit comes at a sensitive moment in regional diplomacy, following Israel’s announcement on Dec. 26 that it had recognized Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, a move that has heightened diplomatic friction and made Israel the only country to formally recognize the breakaway region.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized by the international community. Israel’s decision to recognize the region has drawn widespread condemnation from Somalia, African and Arab states, and multilateral organizations, including the African Union and the Arab League.
Relations between Somalia and Ethiopia have also been strained by Ethiopia’s search for maritime access. In January 2024, Addis Ababa signed an agreement with Somaliland granting it access to the port of Berbera, prompting Somalia to accuse Ethiopia of violating its sovereignty.
The dispute was later eased through Turkish mediation, culminating in the Ankara Declaration signed in December 2024. Under the agreement, Somalia and Ethiopia committed to pursuing bilateral arrangements that would allow Ethiopia access to the sea under Somali sovereign authority.
Analysts say Hussein’s quiet visit underscores the continued sensitivity of Somali-Ethiopian relations, as well as the growing complexity of regional diplomacy amid competing interests involving ports, security cooperation and shifting alliances in the Horn of Africa.
Ali Hassan, an investigative and a freelance journalist writes from Stadthagen, Germany