DJIBOUTI (SD) – Governments of Djibouti and Ethiopia agreed to enhance their military cooperation following a meeting military bosses of both countries in Djibouti.

In a statement, Djibouti Defense ministry said Chief of Staff of the National Defense Force of Ethiopia General Berhanu Jula and his Djiboutian counterpart General Zekaria discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between the defense forces of the two countries.

The two officials reiterated their government’s interest to replicate success stories of people-to-people engagements and exemplary economic ties between the two countries in the defense areas as well.

The two sides have called for creating more favorable platforms and mechanisms to share information and expertise as well as pursue joint training.

The two counterparts have deliberated ways to scale up collaborations to make the Ethio-Djibouti corridor a peaceful zone and agreed to continue holding joint defense meetings annually.

Early this month, Djibouti government extradited four men linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to the Ethiopia government.

The men had allegedly participated in the attack on the Northern Command of the National Defense Force (ENDF) and killing of members of the Federal Police before crossing into Djibouti.

The four were identified as Habtom Gebresilassie Wolyu, Mesele Tamene Eshetu and Colonel Mohammed Berihu Nur.

In 2017, Ethiopia and Djibouti jointly signed extradition agreement which allows both countries to hand suspects to their respectively country.

Tigray conflict began last November, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered an attack on forces loyal to the region’s former ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), after they had overrun federal army bases.