ADDIS ABABA (SD)—Ethiopia is hosting a four-day regional maritime security forum in Addis Ababa, bringing together naval commanders from Yemen, Oman, Djibouti, Somaliland, and Puntland, according to a press release from the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF). The statement did not mention the Somali federal government among the participants listed.

The forum’s opening session was held at the Ethiopian Navy headquarters with support from the European Union (EU). The meeting aims to strengthen maritime security cooperation and improve interoperability among regional naval forces.

Ethiopian Navy Chief Vice Admiral Kindu Gezu attended the opening and highlighted the strategic importance of cooperation across the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean.

Gezu described the waterways linking these areas as among the world’s busiest and most strategically important maritime routes. He said regional security challenges require sustained communication among countries, coordination between military commands and joint operations.

The Ethiopian navy chief also pointed to EU support and the participation of regional naval commanders as evidence of the importance of maritime cooperation. The forum comes amid wider regional tensions involving Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Egypt over security and strategic interests in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.

The omission of Somalia’s federal government from the participants listed in the ENDF statement may attract attention given the longstanding disagreements between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa. However, the statement’s wording alone does not establish whether Somalia was invited, declined to attend or was excluded from the forum.

The forum highlights Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen maritime security relationships with regional authorities and neighboring countries along some of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes. Cooperation on maritime surveillance, information-sharing and operational coordination can be significant amid concerns about piracy, trafficking, armed-group activity and disruptions to commercial shipping.

The participation of representatives from Somaliland and Puntland, while Somalia’s federal government was not mentioned in the ENDF announcement, could also carry political significance. Mogadishu maintains that foreign relations and international agreements concerning Somalia fall under the authority of the federal government. Somaliland, which declared its independence in 1991, operates separately but is not widely recognized internationally as a sovereign state. Puntland is a federal member state of Somalia.

The composition of the forum may therefore raise questions about how Ethiopia is managing its security relationships with Somalia’s federal government and regional administrations. Nevertheless, the available announcement does not establish that the meeting was intended to bypass Mogadishu or that Somalia’s absence reflects a deliberate diplomatic decision.

The broader regional context is also important. Ethiopia’s relations with Somalia have faced tensions over Ethiopia’s 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland concerning sea access, while Ethiopia’s relationships with Egypt and Eritrea have been affected by wider disputes over regional security and strategic influence.

Ultimately, the forum’s significance will depend on the practical outcomes of the discussions, including whether participating authorities establish mechanisms for joint maritime operations and information-sharing. Whether Somalia’s federal government was invited or will be included in subsequent meetings remains an important unanswered question.